The country’s unemployment rate in August 2021 was estimated at 8.1 percent, or an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the 6.9 percent reported a month ago. The unemployment rate in August 2021 was lower than those reported in January, February, and April this year but it was higher than the rates in March 2021 (7.1%), May and June 2021 (7.7%), and in July 2021 (6.9%).
Total number of unemployed persons in August 2021 was estimated at 3.88 million individuals 15 years old and over.
The labor force participation rate (LFPR) in August 2021 picked up to 63.6 percent, translated to about 48.12 million Filipinos 15 years old and over who were either employed or unemployed. This was higher than the LFPR reported in January 2021 (60.5%), February 2021 (63.5%), April 2021 (63.2%), and July 2021 (59.8%).
Employment rate in August 2021 dropped to 91.9 percent from the 93.1 percent in July 2021. In terms of magnitude, 44.23 million out of 48.12 million individuals in the labor force were employed. This was higher than the employment rate in April 2021 (91.3%) during which the National Capital Region Plus Bubble was under Enhanced Community Quarantine status.
Employed persons reported with job but not at work was up to 0.9 percent from 0.7 percent in July 2021.
The average weekly hours worked by an employed person in August 2021 was reported at 39.6 hours per week. This was lower than the reported average weekly hours in July 2021 at 41.8 hours.
Unemployment rate in August 2021 estimated at 8.1 Percent
The number of underemployed persons decreased by 2.21 million, from 8.69 million in July 2021 to 6.48 million in August 2021.
Underemployment rate was estimated at 14.7 percent this August 2021, the third lowest reported this year along with 12.3 percent in May 2021 and 14.2 percent in June 2021.
Visibly underemployed or those working less than 40 hours in a week and expressed 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, was estimated at 10.4 percent of the total employed persons. This estimate was slightly lower than the reported in July 2021 at 10.8 percent.
On the other hand, invisibly underemployed or those working at least 40 hours in a week but still expressed 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, was estimated at 4.2 percent of the total employed individuals. This was lower than the reported invisible underemployment rate in July 2021 at 10.0 percent.
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