The Unemployment Problem

CEBU, Philippines – A new year has just begun. A lot of us are excited for what's in store in 2016, the Year of the Monkey. The prospects may look bright for some, rather bleak for others. But, for the most part, any year can only be as much or as little as the amount of work poured into it.

The Philippines is supposedly enjoying an impressive employment rate, reaching 94.4 percent by October of last year, a slight increase of 0.9 percent from the 93.5 percent rate three months prior. Despite this positive development, it remains that 5.6 percent of the nation still do not have jobs.

The most number of unemployed is generally coming from the 15 to 24 year-old age group, at 48 percent. Males, the supposed breadwinners of their families, account for 63.4 percent of the overall unemployment rate. Young adults, belonging to the 25 to 34 year- old bracket, comprise 32.1 percent - estimably, more than 3 out of 10 individuals in this age group have no source of income, despite the fact that they are the most highly employable in the potential workforce.

Moreover, in relation to educational attainment, 33.3 percent of the unemployed had finished high school, while 22.6 percent of the unemployed are college graduates. Meaning, out of 10, there are more than three high school graduates and more than two college grads that end up counting light posts.

Another thing: the shortage of job opportunities among those who completed a four-year course pushes them to grab job offerings that don't match their educational specializations, resulting to underemployment, which is a more rampant problem than unemployment itself.

The estimated "underemployment" rate among Filipinos as of October last year reached 17.7 percent of the population. Thus, more than one out of 10 workers is underemployed, meaning they are doing lesser jobs than they are actually prepared to do.

This statistic also hints that majority of the underemployed works for less than 40 hours per week. Added to the problem is the practice by some employers of not abiding by the legally prescribed minimum wage for workers. It compounds the problem of these workers to make ends meet.

In the end, while the figures at the Philippine Statistic Authority show a decrease in the unemployment rate of the country, the present number of the unemployed and underemployed Filipinos is still significant.

The private sector has been trying to do its share about the jobs problem. There are recruitment agencies around that enlist job seekers to fill up the worker requirements of their client companies. ACG Port Services (phone: 253-5973/253-6800), for example, facilitates the employment of various workers to jobs that match their skills.

Unemployment has been a problem in the country for years and years now. And yet the availability of jobs has always been the sweet promise of politicians at every election time. It's such a wonder why the problem has not been quelled.