(Eagle News) — The number of jobless adults dropped to 27.3 percent of the labor force, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations found.
According to the SWS, the 27.3 percent recorded in the poll conducted from November 21 to 25, 2020 translates to 12.7 million people of the labor force, defined as adults (18 years and above) presently with a job and those looking for a job.
The SWS said the 12.7 million people were far less than the 23.7 million jobless adults reported in September.
It said the 12-point decline in the national joblessness rate was due to decreases of 33 points in the Visayas, 23 points in Mindanao, two points in Metro Manila, and one point in Balance Luzon.
The joblessness rate fell sharply both in the Visayas and Mindanao: In the Visayas, the rate fell from a record-high 52.0 percent in September 2020 to 19.1 percent in November 2020; while in Mindanao, the rate was down to 17 percent in November 2020 from the 40 percent recorded in September 2020.
The joblessness rate fell slightly in Balance Luzon and Metro Manila: In Balance Luzon, from 33.5 percent in September 2020 to 32.7 percent in November 2020; and in Metro Manila, from 39.9 percent in September 2020 to 37.8 percent.
According to the SWS, compared to September 2020, the families experiencing involuntary hunger, or hunger due to lack of food to eat in the last three months, fell among both the jobless (by 21 points) and among those with a job or livelihood (by 7 points).
Those whose families experienced severe hunger, or hunger experienced “Often” or “Always,” eased among both the jobless (from 12.3 percent to 6.1 percent) and among those with a job or livelihood (from 6.9% to 2.8%).
“The November 2020 survey found that 16.0% or an estimated 4.0 million families experienced involuntary hunger – hunger due to lack of food to eat – at least once in the past three months,” the SWS said.
The SWS survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide.
Of these, 600 were from Balance Luzon and 300 each from Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Sampling error margins were pegged at ±2.5% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.