China News Agency, Manila, February 8 (Reporter Zhang Xinglong) According to data released by the Philippine National Bureau of Statistics on the 8th local time, the country's unemployment rate in December 2022 was 4.3%, an increase of 0.1% month-on-month.
Data show that the number of unemployed in the Philippines reached 2.22 million in December last year, and the unemployment rate fell by 2.3% year-on-year, but it rose slightly from 4.2% in November.
Mapa, an official from the Philippine National Bureau of Statistics, said that although the unemployment rate rose slightly in December compared to November, the number and proportion of underemployed people in the Philippines have dropped significantly.
The underemployment rate in the Philippines fell to 12.6 percent in December from 14.4 percent in November, and the number of underemployed people dropped from 7.16 million to 6.2 million, the data showed.
Underemployment means that employed people are seeking more hours or better job opportunities.
Arsenio Balisakan, director of the National Economic and Development Bureau of the Philippines, said in a statement on the same day that the "Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028" will strive to provide high-quality job opportunities for the people.
"While providing high-quality job opportunities for employed people, we must also ensure that their skills not only meet current social needs, but also continue to keep up with the requirements of emerging jobs." Balisakan said.
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