SUMMARY:

• Labor force is 1.12 million more than in July 1998, bringing the number of employed up by 1.2 million and decreasing the number of unemployed by 79 thousand.
• Agriculture sector leads with a 6.8 percent gain in employment from July 1998 to July 1999.
• Employment in services increases by 3.5 percent and in industry, by 0.3 percent.
• Unemployment rate moves down to 8.4 percent from 8.9 percent a year ago.
• Underemployment rate remains at the 22-23 percent level for the past four quarters.

HIGHLIGHTS

Persons aged 15 years old and over...

• There were about 48.3 million persons aged 15 years old and over in July 1999. This represents an increase of 1.218 million (2.6%) from July 1998.

Of the 48.3 million persons 15 years old and over, there were those who joined the labor force ...

• About 31.7 million (65.6%) joined the labor force in July 1999, increasing by 1.120 million (3.7%) over July 1998.
• Those who were not in the labor force , like housewives, students, disabled and retired persons increased by 98 thousand (0.6%) to 16.6 million in July 1999 from 16.5 million a year ago.
• There was an increase of 0.7 percentage point in the labor force participation rate from 64.9 percent in July 1998 to 65.6 percent in July 1999.

Of the 31.7 million persons in the labor force, there were those who were employed and those who were not ...

• Employed persons in July 1999 increased by 1.2 million (4.3 %) to 29.1 million from 27.9 million a year ago. The corresponding employment rate also increased from 91.1 percent to 91.6 percent.
• On the other hand, unemployed persons decreased by 79 thousand (2.9%) from 2.74 million in July 1998 to 2.66 million in July 1999. Correspondingly, unemployment rate decreased to 8.4 percent from 8.9 percent a year ago.

Of the 29.1 million persons employed, there were those either working in agriculture, industry or services ...

• The agriculture, fishery and forestry sector continued to improve as the number rose from 11.0 million in July 1998 to 11.8 million this year. The additional employed workforce were mostly own-account workers.
• The number of workers in the services sector also increased significantly among wage and salary workers.
• On the other hand, the number of workers in the industry sector slightly increased by 0.3 percent. The increase in own-account workers was largely offset by the decrease in wage and salary workers.

Of the 750 thousand addition to the employed in agriculture, fishery and forestry ...

• Own-account workers contributed much to the increase at 315 thousand (42.0%), followed by unpaid family workers, 226 thousand (30.1%). Wage and salary workers contributed 207 thousand (27.6%) to the employed..

Of the increase of 434 thousand in services ...

• Employment in services recorded an increase of 434 thousand (3.5%) from July 1998 to July 1999 with wholesale and retail trade gaining by 208 thousand; transportation, storage and communication, by 100 thousand; financing, insurance, real estate and business services, by 68 thousand and community, social and personal services, by 58 thousand.
• Most of the increase in the services sector came from wage and salary workers from 7.6 million in July 1998 to 7.8 million in July 1999.

Of the 13 thousand increase in industry ...

• The industry sector slightly increased by 13 thousand (0.3%) from July 1998 to July 1999. Own-account workers increased by 84 thousand (11.6%), unpaid family workers, by 5 thousand (3.4%). Wage and salary workers declined by 77 thousand (2.1%).
• Manufacturing recorded an increase of 96 thousand (3.6%).
• However, mining and quarrying declined by 30 thousand (23.4%), electricity, gas and water, by 13 thousand (8.6%) and construction, by 40 thousand (2.5%).

Of the 29.1 million employed, there were those who were paid wages and salaries, worked on their account , or worked for the family...

• Own-account workers increased by 498 thousand (4.8%) and wage and salary workers by 381 thousand (2.8%) while unpaid family workers by 320 thousand (8.5%).
• The increase in own-account workers was contributed mostly by agricultural workers. The increase in wage and salary workers was contributed largely by agriculture and services, in the latter particularly in wholesale and retail trade. The increase in unpaid family workers was due to agricultural workers.

The employed by region ...

• All regions exhibited increases in employment with the Southern Tagalog recording the highest increment of 147 thousand, followed by Central Luzon with an increase of 117 thousand employed persons. The Cordillera Administrative Region and Bicol registered the least number of increase in employment with five thousand and six thousand increase, respectively.
• Most of the regions showed increases in employment rates. Central Visayas posted the highest increase of 2.7 percentage points from 88.5 percent in July 1998 to 91.2 percent in July 1999. CARAGA was next with an increase of 2.6 percentage points from 90.0 percent to 92.6 percent this year.

The employed by number of hours worked ...

• The number of full-time workers increased by 219 thousand from 18.1 million in July 1998 to 18.4 million this year. On the other hand, those who worked for less than 40 hours likewise increased both in terms of level and proportion to total employment. The estimate of 9.4 million (which was 33.8% of total) in July 1998 increased to 10.4 million (35.8%) this year.

The employed by occupation...

• All groups registered increases in levels with agriculture, animal husbandry posting the highest increment of 780 thousand (7.2%). Sales and production workers posted second and third at 173 thousand and 118 thousand, respectively. Professional workers registered the least number of increase at 28 thousand (1.6%).

Of the employed, there were those who desired more hours of work, the underemployed...

• The number of underemployed persons or those who desired additional hours of work increased by 663 thousand to 6.5 million in July 1999 from 5.8 million a year ago. The underemployment rate likewise increased to 22.3 percent from 20.8 percent.
• Underemployed workers were mostly found in rural areas comprising about 62.3 percent of the total underemployed. Most of the underemployed were in agriculture, fishery and forestry (48.2%). Underemployment in services made up 35.6 percent of the total underemployed while 16.3 percent in industry.

And there were those who looked for work and did not find any, the unemployed...

• The unemployment level declined by 79 thousand (-2.9%) from July 1998 to July 1999. The corresponding unemployment rate likewise declined by 0.5 percentage point to 8.4 percent this year from 8.9 percent last year.
• Among regions, only the NCR posted a two-digit unemployment rate (15.4%).