The recent numbers on jobs based on the October 2007 Labor Force Survey seem to tell us so. The NSO report says the jobless rate has declined a full percentage point from 7.3 percent last year to 6.3 percent this year. Underemployment has declined from 20.4 to 18.1 percent. That’s a two full percentage point down, meaning that a significant number of dissatisfied employees has gone down as well.
The details are quite interesting. The percent share of farm jobs has declined but those of the industry sector has gone up, mainly because of a growing job uptake in construction. There’s also a growing share of jobs in the services sector particularly in the transportation, storage and communications; real estate and renting; education; health and social work; and private households. It means more people are hiring maids and drivers? That says something.
And there’s a significant increase in own account workers, an indication perhaps of greater entrepreneurship activities. Figures on those who get wages and salaries are also encouraging as more private establishments are hiring.
In terms of occupation, the percentage shares of professionals are rising. So are those of trade and related workers; clerks; and laborers and unskilled workers. This trend is not surprising because of robust construction sector. Hey, it quite broad-based.
Is this the trickle down effect of the 7 percent growth rate we have been registering? Seems like it. But expect the doubters to dismiss these numbers. I’m a doubter myself but I don’t denigrate these numbers:I feel these are real gains by real people. And it’s not because of Malacanang but despite Malacanang.
I'll look at the numbers again when I have the time.
1 comment:
Sounds like good news. Its always nice to read good news about the motherland, no matter how small it is. What I'm hoping for though is for these growth figures to bridge the rural-urban inequality gap through better infrastructure in the rural areas, access to education, healthcare, etc.
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