Western Visayas’ employment rate increased by 1.3 percentage point from 92.1 percent in 2020 to 93.3 percent last year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.
“Ibig sabihin n’yan nagre-recover na nga tayo.This must have been brought about by the reopening of many establishments,” said National Economic Development Authority (NEDA-6) regional director Meylene Rosales.
The underemployment rate in the region also went up to 105 percent last year from 99 percent in 2020.
“This signifies that people who are employed, who already have jobs actually are not earning enough to be able to fend for their needs kasi kulang kinikita nila. That is why they need additional jobs,” said Rosales.
Underemployed persons are those who were looking for longer working hours or higher-paying jobs as they settled with part-time arrangements.
Citing a statement of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Rosales stressed that the increase of the underemployment level is a reminder that much has to be done to improve the quality of work.
The unemployment rate, meantime, declined by 15.1 percent.
The data also showed that 987 establishments implemented retrenchment last year, affecting 9,422 workers.
A total of 110 establishments closed down, resulting in the displacement of 691 workers.
“The heightened alert levels and community quarantines during the first to almost the fourth quarter of 2021 and the non-holding of the face-to-face classes limited the public’s movement and lessened economic activities.Establishments decreased the number of their employees as one of their measures to avoid closure,” Rosales explained.IMT
