Vol. 19 No. 1
January 2015
THE 2014 EMPLOYMENT SITUATION
(THE YEAR IN REVIEW)
Overview
The 2014 average annual employment data showed mixed results for the country’s labor
market. On the positive note, employment level grew by 2.8% compared a year ago - a net gain or
employment generation that exceeded one million. Employment was boosted by robust growth in
industry (4.1%) coupled by the sustained growth in services (3.1%) and modest recovery in
agriculture (1.7%). Furthermore, both the rates of unemployment and underemployment eased
slightly from last year.
Amid the expansion, the quality of employment remained a key challenge. Employment
growth this year was largely driven by the rise in part-time employment (9.1%) alongside the
increase in the number of self-employed persons and unpaid family workers. As a result, the mean
hours of work was down (-2.4%) from last year which parallels the slowdown in the country’s gross
domestic product (GDP) in 2014.
Figures cited in this report are preliminary and unless indicated represent the average of
the four (4) rounds of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority
(PSA) in the months of January, April, July and October. The use of average for estimating annual
data from the LFS is based on NSCB Resolution No. 9 s. 2009 dated July 6, 2009 (Approving and
Adopting the Official Methodology for Generating Annual Labor and Employment Estimates).
Note also that the estimates for both periods under review exclude Region VIII or Eastern
Visayas for comparability. The January 2014 excluded estimates for Region VIII because the LFS
was not conducted in this region as a consequence of typhoon Yolanda. For the subsequent rounds,
the LFS was not conducted for Leyte province.
About a million additional persons
joined the labor market in 2014
The country’s labor force grew
by an average of 2.5% or an
addition of 962,000 persons in 2014.
This placed the total working
population in the active workforce at
40.1 million. The figure corresponds
to a higher labor force participation
rate (LFPR) of 64.4% than last year’s
63.9%. (Table 4)
The increase in LFPR was
higher
among
women
(+0.6
percentage point) than men (+0.4
percentage point). By age cohort,
the increase in rates was observed to
be at the same pace (0.5 percentage
point) for the three broad age
TABLE 1 – Key Employment Indicators,
Philippines: 2013-2014
(In Thousands Except Rates)
INDICATOR
Household population 15
years old and over
Labor force
- Employed persons
- Unemployed persons
Underemployed persons
- Visibly Underemployed
Not in the Labor Force
2014
p
62,189
40,050
37,310
2,740
6,870
4,056
22,139
2013
61,176
39,088
36,286
2,801
6,912
3,914
22,088
Labor force participation
rate (%)
Unemployment rate (%)
Underemployment rate (%)
- Visible Underemployment
rate (%)
64.4
63.9
6.8
18.4
7.2
19.0
10.9
10.8
Mean hours of work
40.9
41.9
Year-onYear
Change
1,013
962
1,024
(61)
(42)
142
51
Note: The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude Region VIII
or Eastern Visayas.
p Preliminary .
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority , Labor Force
Survey .
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
Page 2 of 9
brackets 15-24 years old, 24-54
years old and 55 years old and over.
New
employment
exceeded one million
generation
The
full-year
employment
growth rate across the four (4)
survey rounds stood at 2.8% as total
employed persons rose from 36.3
million
to
37.3
million.
This
translates to 1.0 million new
employment generation in 2014.
(Table 3)
§
§
§
Employment grew the fastest in
the industry sector at 4.1%
(+237,000) on the back of the
strong growth in construction
(+184,000) alongside the modest
growth
in
manufacturing
(+78,000).
Meanwhile,
small
losses occurred in mining and
quarrying
(-12,000);
electricity, gas, steam and air
conditioning supply
(-6,000);
and water supply; sewerage,
waste
management
and
remediation activities (-7,000).
The services sector expanded by
3.1%
(+603,000)
with
the
biggest contribution coming from
wholesale
and
retail
trade
(+228,000). Smaller gains were
also noted in accommodation and
food service activities (+79,000);
administrative
and
support
service
activities
(+68,000);
financial and insurance activities
(+51,000);
and
education
(+49,000). Together, these subsectors accounted for more than
two-thirds
(78.8%) of total
employment generated in this
sector.
With less destructive typhoons
this
year,
employment
in
agriculture managed to post
modest recovery from previous
year’s slump: 1.7% (+168,000)
in
agriculture,
forestry
and
hunting and 1.3% (+16,000) in
fishing.
Vulnerable employment rose
§
Much of the gains in employment
this year occurred among selfemployed persons (4.1% or
+407,000) and unpaid family
workers (8.0% or +292,000).
Together, they contributed more
than two-thirds (68.3%) to
overall growth in employment
this year. Their proportion to total
employment
(a
millennium
development goal indicator) was
up to 38.6% from 37.8% in 2013.
(Table 3a)
The growth in wage and salary
employment
slowed
down
considerably this year at just
1.5% (+329,000). The bulk of
the increase occurred in private
establishments
(82.7%
or
+272,000).
Employment
growth
largely
driven by part-time work
§
Another weak spot is the surge in
part-time employment which rose
sharply by 9.1% or more than a
million (1.1 million) while persons
in full-time employment fell
slightly
from
last
year
(-227,000). (Table 3a)
As a consequence, the mean
hours of work in a week fell by a
full 1.0 hour to 40.9 – this
compares with the slowdown in
the economy this year.
§
By occupation, the top three
gainers were farmers, forestry
workers
and
fishermen
(+339,000); service workers and
shop and market sales workers
(+185,000);
and
clerks
(+165,000).
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
§
Page 3 of 9
Employment gain was broad base
occurring in all regions except
Region IX which posted a decline
(-10,000). The biggest gainers
were Region IV-A (+231,000),
Region VI (+147,000) and Region
VII (+114,000). (Table 6)
Underemployment
of
change from last year
TABLE 2 - Total Underemployed by Sector,
Philippines: 2013–2014
2014 p
No. (‘000)
% Share
Rate (%)
2013
No. (‘000)
% Share
Rate (%)
Change
(‘000)
All
Sectors
6,870
100.0
18.4
Sector
Agriculture
Industry
Services
2,837
41.3
25.3
1,195
17.4
20.0
2,837
41.3
14.1
6,912
100.0
19.0
2,896
41.9
26.3
1,127
16.3
19.6
2,889
41.8
14.5
(42)
(59)
68
(52)
Notes: 1. The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude
Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
2. Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
p Preliminary.
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority , Labor
Force Survey.
§
§
§
little
Underemployment rate stood
at 18.4% - down marginally by 0.6
percentage point from last year’s
19.0%.
The
decline
was
accompanied by reduction in the
total number of underemployed
persons by 42,000 to 6.9 million.
ITEM
(11.1%), Region II (11.2%) and
ARMM (11.7%). (Table 6)
The
incidence
of
underemployment was highest in
the agriculture sector in terms of
rate (25.3%). The rates in
industry (20.0%) and services
(14.1%) were relatively lower.
Between
2013
and
2014,
underemployment increased only
in the industry sector (+68,000).
Nine
regions
registered
underemployment rate above the
national average with the highest
in Region V (34.9%), Region X
(25.7%) and Caraga (25.2%).
The lowest underemployment
rate was recorded in NCR
Between
2013
and
2014,
underemployment rate improved
in twelve regions most notably in
Region I (-4.0 percentage points
or ppt) and Region IV-B (-3.0
ppt).
Underemployment rate worsened
in Region VII (+3.3 ppt) and
Region XI (+2.0 ppt). Little
changes were observed in the
rest of the regions.
Unemployment rate fell below
7.0%
The unemployment rate in
2014 dipped by 0.4 percentage point
to 6.8%, the lowest point recorded
since 2006. This translates to 2.7
million
unemployed
persons
representing a decrease of 61,000
persons from a year ago. (Table 1)
§
Unemployment is primarily a
problem of the youth. Largely
inexperienced, they comprised
nearly one-half (49.1%) of total
unemployed. This figure was 0.6
percentage point higher than last
year. (Table 5)
§
Men continued to dominate the
unemployed as they comprised
about two-thirds (63.6% or 1.7
million) of the total unemployed
workforce, i.e., two in every three
unemployed were men.
§
More than one-third (35.3% or
967,000) were college educated,
of which 21.6% or 593,000 were
graduates. A higher proportion of
the unemployed
were high
school
graduates
or
undergraduates (44.0% or 1.2
million)
while
those
who
completed
post
secondary
education accounted for just
8.3% (226,000).
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
§
Only the National Capital Region
posted
a
double-digit
unemployment rate (10.4%) –
the highest across regions. Three
other
regions
have
unemployment rates higher than
the national average rate: Region
I (8.4%), Region III (8.3%) and
Region IV-A (8.2%). Regions with
low unemployment rates were
ARMM (3.5%), Region II (3.7%)
and Region IX (3.7%). (Table 6)
Page 4 of 9
§
Compared
with
last
year,
unemployment rate eased in nine
regions notably in Region XI (1.1
ppt) and ARMM (1.1 ppt). Other
regions registered small increases
in unemployment except CAR
which posted a 0.9 ppt increase.
FOR INQUIRIES
Regarding this report contact EMPLOYMENT AND MANPOWER STATISTICS DIVISION at 527-3000 loc. 312/313
Regarding other statistics and technical services contact PSA- INTRAMUROS DATABANK at 527-3000 loc. 317
Or Write to PSA-Intramuros c/o Databank, 3/F DOLE Bldg. Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, 1002
FAX 527-9324
E mail: bles_emsd@dole.gov.ph
Website at http://www.bles.dole.gov.ph
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
Page 5 of 9
TABLE 3 - Employed Persons by Major Industry Group, Philippines: 2013 and 2014
(In Thousands Except Percent)
Percent
Change (%)
2014 p
2013
Increment
EMPLOYED PERSONS
37,310
36,286
1,024
2.8
MAJOR INDUSTRY GROUP
Agriculture
Agriculture, forestry and hunting
Fishing
11,212
9,942
1,269
11,028
9,775
1,253
184
168
16
1.7
1.7
1.3
5,987
229
3,147
84
5,750
241
3,069
89
237
(12)
78
(6)
4.1
(5.0)
2.5
(6.2)
51
2,477
58
2,292
(7)
184
(12.8)
8.0
20,112
19,508
603
3.1
7,010
2,625
1,637
352
487
169
209
1,070
6,783
2,627
1,558
333
435
171
191
1,001
228
(2)
79
19
51
(1)
18
68
3.4
(0.1)
5.1
5.6
11.8
(0.8)
9.5
6.8
1,876
1,218
475
348
2,114
1,843
1,169
453
338
2,096
33
49
22
10
18
1.8
4.2
4.8
2.9
0.8
520
1
505
4
15
(2)
3.0
(62.8)
INDICATOR
Industry
Mining and quarrying
Manufacturing
Electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply
Water supply; sewerage, waste management
and remediation activities
Construction
Services
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor
vehicles and motorcycles
Transportation and storage
Accommodation and food service activities
Information and communication
Financial and insurance activities
Real estate activities
Professional, scientific and technical activities
Administrative and support service activities
Public administration and defense;
compulsory social security
Education
Human health and social work activities
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Other service activites
Activities of households as employers;
undifferentiated goods-and-servicesproducing activities of households for own use
Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies
Notes: 1. The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
2. Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
p Preliminary.
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey.
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
Page 6 of 9
TABLE 3a - Employed Persons by Major Occupation Group,
Class of Worker and Hours Worked, Philippines: 2013 and 2014
(in Thousands Except Percent)
Percent
Change (%)
INDICATOR
2014 p
2013
EMPLOYED PERSONS
37,310
36,286
1,024
6,019
1,876
966
2,349
4,673
4,977
2,558
1,967
11,806
118
5,888
1,805
963
2,184
4,488
4,638
2,528
1,983
11,706
103
131
71
3
165
185
339
30
(15)
100
14
0
2.2
4.0
0.3
7.5
4.1
7.3
1.2
(0.8)
0.9
13.8
21,701
1,881
16,780
21,372
1,883
16,508
329
(2)
272
1.5
(0.1)
1.6
2,922
2,857
65
2.3
118
10,448
1,209
3,952
124
10,041
1,213
3,660
(6)
407
(4)
292
(5.0)
4.1
(0.3)
8.0
Proportion of self-employed and unpaid family workers
in total employment
38.6
37.8
HOURS WORKED IN A WEEK
At work
Worked less than 40 hours (Part-time employment)
Worked 40 hours or longer (Full-time employment)
With job, not at work
36,802
13,573
23,230
508
35,898
12,442
23,457
388
904
1,131
(227)
120
2.5
9.1
(1.0)
30.8
40.9
41.9
(1.0)
(2.4)
MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUP
Officials of government and special-interest organizations,
corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors,
and supervisors
Professionals
Technicians and associate professionals
Clerks
Service workers and shop and market sales workers
Farmers, forestry workers and fishermen
Trades and related workers
Plant and machine operators and assemblers
Laborers and unskilled workers
Special occupations
CLASS OF WORKER
Wage and salary workers
Worked for private household
Worked for private establishment
Worked for government and government-controlled
corporation
Worked with pay in own family-operated farm
or business
Self-employed without any paid employee
Employer in own family-operated farm or business
Worked without pay in own family-operated farm or business
Mean number of hours worked in a week
Notes: 1. The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
2. Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
p Preliminary.
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey.
Increment
2.8
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
Page 7 of 9
TABLE 4 - Summary Statistics on Household Population 15 years Old and Over
and Labor Force, Philippines: 2013 and 2014
(In Thousands Except Rates)
INDICATOR
TOTAL
Total Population 15 Years Old
and Over
Labor Force
2014 p
2013
Increment
2014 p
2013
62,189
61,176
1,013
40,050
39,088
30,969
31,220
30,455
30,721
514
499
24,286
15,765
18,604
34,073
9,509
18,283
33,551
9,339
3
321
522
170
-
8,513
26,414
5,123
-
Labor Force Participation Rate (%)
2014 p
2013
962
64.4
63.9
0.5
23,750
15,338
536
427
78.4
50.5
78.0
49.9
0.4
0.6
8,274
25,826
4,988
-
239
588
135
-
45.8
77.5
53.9
-
45.3
77.0
53.4
-
0.5
0.5
0.5
-
Increment
Increment
SEX
Male
Female
AGE GROUP
15-24 years old
25-54 years old
55 years old and over
Not reported
3
Notes: 1. The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
2. Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
p Preliminary.
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey.
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
Page 8 of 9
TABLE 5 - Summary Statistics on Unemployment, Philippines: 2013 and 2014
(In Thousands Except Rates/Percent)
2013
Percent Share
(%)
2013
2014 p
2014 p
2,740
2,801
100.0
100.0
40,050
39,088
6.8
7.2
SEX
Male
Female
1,743
997
1,754
1,048
63.6
36.4
62.6
37.4
24,286
15,765
23,750
15,338
7.2
6.3
7.4
6.8
AGE GROUP
15 - 24 years old
25-54 years old
55 years old and over
1,347
1,287
107
1,359
1,329
114
49.1
46.9
3.9
48.5
47.4
4.1
8,513
26,414
5,123
8,274
25,826
4,988
15.8
4.9
2.1
16.4
5.1
2.3
HIGHEST GRADE COMPLETED
No Grade Completed
Elementary
Undergraduate
Graduate
High School
Undergraduate
Graduate
Post Secondary
Undergraduate
Graduate
College
Undergraduate
Graduate
10
331
145
186
1,206
297
909
226
33
194
967
374
593
13
358
161
196
1,249
319
929
226
50
176
956
388
568
0.3
12.1
5.3
6.8
44.0
10.9
33.2
8.3
1.2
7.1
35.3
13.7
21.6
0.5
12.8
5.8
7.0
44.6
11.4
33.2
8.1
1.8
6.3
34.1
13.8
20.3
INDICATOR
Unemployed Persons
2014 p
TOTAL
Notes: 1. The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
2. Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
p Preliminary.
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey.
Labor Force
2013
Unemployment
Rate (%)
2013
2014 p
LABSTAT Updates (Vol. 19 No. 1)
Page 9 of 9
TABLE 6 - Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment by Region
Philippines: 2013 and 2014
(In Thousands Except Rates)
Labor Force
REGION
2014 p
No.
LFPR (%)
Employment
2013
No.
LFPR (%)
2014 p
No.
Rate (%)
Unemployment
2013
No.
Rate (%)
2014 p
No.
Rate (%)
Underemployment
2013
No.
Rate (%)
2014 p
No.
Rate (%)
2013
No.
Rate (%)
40,050
64.4
39,088
63.9
37,310
93.2
36,286
92.8
2,740
6.8
2,801
7.2
6,870
18.4
6,912
19.0
NCR
5,249
64.2
5,129
63.5
89.6
4,603
89.7
547
10.4
527
10.3
523
11.1
556
12.1
CAR
I - Ilocos Region
784
2,187
67.1
61.7
770
2,130
67.1
61.3
4,702
741
2,003
94.5
91.6
735
1,954
95.4
91.7
43
184
5.5
8.4
35
176
4.6
8.3
99
320
13.3
16.0
104
391
14.1
20.0
II - Cagayan Valley
III - Central Luzon
IVA - CALABARZON
1,539
4,450
5,528
66.9
62.3
65.5
1,523
4,370
5,331
67.0
62.0
64.5
1,482
4,080
5,073
96.3
91.7
91.8
1,475
3,990
4,842
96.8
91.3
90.8
57
369
455
3.7
8.3
8.2
48
379
489
3.2
8.7
9.2
166
552
951
11.2
13.5
18.7
190
579
867
12.9
14.5
17.9
IVB - MIMAROPA
V - Bicol Region
VI - Western Visayas
1,341
2,447
3,359
67.2
62.8
63.9
1,293
2,452
3,235
66.3
63.9
62.7
95.4
93.8
94.0
1,241
2,292
3,011
95.9
93.5
93.1
62
152
201
4.6
6.2
6.0
53
160
224
4.1
6.5
6.9
261
801
688
20.4
34.9
21.8
290
855
682
23.4
37.3
22.7
VII - Central Visayas
VIII- Eastern Visayas
IX - Zamboanga Peninsula
3,270
1,438
65.8
63.8
3,160
1,445
64.7
65.1
1,280
2,295
3,158
3,075
94.0
96.3
2,961
1,395
93.7
96.6
195
53
6.0
3.7
199
50
6.3
3.4
567
274
18.4
19.8
448
304
15.1
21.8
X - Northern Mindanao
XI - Davao Region
2,114
2,051
69.4
65.4
2,050
1,989
68.3
64.2
1,385
1,991
1,932
94.2
94.2
1,934
1,851
94.3
93.1
123
119
5.8
5.8
117
138
5.7
6.9
512
372
25.7
19.3
497
319
25.7
17.3
XII - SOCCSKSARGEN
Caraga
ARMM
1,795
1,158
1,340
65.4
65.9
56.9
1,769
1,152
1,289
65.5
66.5
56.0
1,730
1,091
1,293
96.4
94.2
96.5
1,691
1,083
1,229
95.6
94.0
95.4
65
67
47
3.6
5.8
3.5
78
69
59
4.4
6.0
4.6
355
275
152
20.5
25.2
11.7
384
293
152
22.7
27.1
12.4
PHILIPPINES
Notes: 1. The annual estimates for 2013 and 2014 exclude Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
2. Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
p Preliminary.
Source of basic data: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey.