Young male grads biggest group of unemployed in RP

Despite growth in the country’s employment rate, young professionals, particularly males, continue to account for the biggest group of jobless Filipinos.

Results from the National Statistics Office (NSO) January 2007 Labor Force Survey showed that young sector – those belonging to the 24 years and below age group – made up nearly half of the unemployed.

Based on the NSO survey, 48.8 percent, or nearly half of the estimated 2.85 million unemployed Filipinos, were 24 years and younger.

The same survey indicated that 35 percent of the total number of unemployed Filipinos were at the college level, while 32.9 percent had completed their secondary education.

Males also recorded a higher unemployment rate of 8.1 percent, compared with 7.4 percent unemployment among females.

A majority of the unemployed (12.7 percent) are located in the National Capital Region (NCR) with those from the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon) Region following closely at 10.4 percent.

The number of jobless Filipino youth remained high, even with the downward trend in unemployment and underemployment.

According to the NSO, the unemployment rate dropped from 8.1 percent last year to 7.8 percent in January.

However, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) maintains that the country’s employment situation is improving as indicated by the latest NSO survey. – Mayen Jaymalin