|
REGION 12 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DOWN TO 3.8 PERCENT IN OCTOBER 2008
For October 2008, SOCCSKSARGEN Region recorded an employment rate of 96.2 percent for October 2008 based from the results of the October 2008 Labor Force Survey (LFS). This resulted for a decrease in the unemployment rate which posted for only 3.8 percent in October 2008 compared to 4.8 percent in October 2007. This signifies that, there are about 4 persons unemployed for every 100 persons who are in the labor force in the region.
The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for the region was 65.5 percent, which is of higher rate than the national LFPR of only 63.7 percent. This means that out of the estimated 2.45 million population 15 years old and over in October 2008 for the region, about 1.60 million persons were in the labor force. Of which, about 1.54 million were employed in the region.
Out of the 1.54 million employed in the region, more than half (50.4%) worked in agriculture, hunting, and forestry. Workers in services sector accounted for 15.0 percent of the total employed comprising the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and personal and household goods. Fewer workers engaged in mining and quarrying which resulted to only 0.5 percent; and electricity, gas and water with only 0.2 percent of the total employed for the region.
Amongst the major occupation groups of employed persons in the region, laborers and unskilled workers made up the largest group with 37.5 percent; and followed by the farmers, forestry workers and fishermen with 25.6 percent.
Employed persons fall into any of these categories: wage and salary workers, own account workers and unpaid family workers. Wage and salary workers are those who work for private households, private establishments, government or government corporations and those who work with pay in own-family operated farm or business.
Almost half (46.2%) of the employed persons were wage and salary workers, 38.5 percent were own-account workers; and the remaining percentage of 15.3 percent were unpaid family workers.
Among the wage and salary workers, those working for private establishments comprised the largest proportion, which posted at 38.2 percent. Workers who worked for government or government-controlled corporation comprised only 8.0 percent. In own-account workers, majority was self-employed with 31.8 percent and only 6.8 percent were employers.
Employed persons are also classified either full-time workers or part-time workers. Full-time workers are those who work for 40 hours or more while part-time workers work for less than 40 hours during the reference week. In October 2008, more than half (50.13%) were full-time workers, while 47.86 percent were part-time workers. Among the part-time workers, more were categorically working less than 20 hours, with 39.48 percent.
Employed persons who express the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to have a new job with longer working hours are considered underemployed.
Underemployment rate in October 2008 LFS was estimated at 20.1 percent. This means that about 310 thousand employed persons were underemployed in October 2008. Around 197 thousand were visibly underemployed or working less than 40 hours and about 113 thousand were those workers who worked 40 hours or more. |
