Angeles City posts highest 2020 jobless rate
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga recorded the highest unemployment rate in 2020 of 23.2%, more than double the national average of 10.3%, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
This was equivalent to about 51,801 unemployed persons in Angeles City, according to the PSA’s Annual Provincial Labor Market Statistics report.
Other highly urbanized cities (HUCs) and provinces that posted high unemployment rates were Baguio City (21.0%, equivalent to 28,643 persons); Pangasinan (16.4%, 202,035); General Santos City (16.3%, 43,057); and Nueva Ecija (15.8%, 150,382).
No provinces or HUCs posted an unemployment rate greater than 16% in 2018 and 2019 while four such local government units or 3.4% of the total exceeded that threshold in 2020.
Marinduque logged the highest underemployment rate of any province at 46%, equivalent to 40,595 persons, against the national average for underemployment of 16.2% in 2020.
Also among the leading provinces for underemployment were Bukidnon (41.9%, equivalent to 309,549 persons); Agusan del Sur (41.4%, 141,490); Occidental Mindoro (38.7%, 70,145); and Sarangani (37.4%, 79,235).
The highest employment rate was recorded in Lanao del Norte at 97.5%, equivalent to about 282,146 persons. Also among the top provinces for employment were Batanes (97.4%, 8,907); Masbate (97.2%, 372,170); Ilocos Norte (97.2%, 306,285); and Palawan (97.0%, 355,474).
In 2020, only 7.7% or nine out of 117 provinces posted employment rates of 96.0% or higher. The equivalent totals in 2019 were 29.9% and 35 provinces and in 2018, 28.2% and 33 provinces.
“The Philippine labor market was adversely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019-related economic shutdown in 2020, at which time, 46 provinces, HUCs, and other urban areas posted employment rates lower than the national average of 89.7%” the PSA said.
Mountain Province recorded the highest labor force participation rate of 78.1% in 2020, equivalent to 81,599 persons. Bukidnon came in second with 77.9%, or 785,084 persons. The top five were rounded out by Agusan del Sur (76.5%, 355,149); Batanes (75.9%, 9,143); and Ilocos Norte (72.5%, 315,175). — Lourdes O. Pilar
