Guimaras’ labor sector surpasses pre-pandemic levels

Employment rate in Guimaras province in 2022 continued to pick up, surpassing its pre-pandemic levels.

This is based on the preliminary results of the Annual Provincial Labor Market Statistics of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) published on June 7, 2023.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the province in 2020, employment rate of Guimaras dropped to 92 percent from 96.2 and 96.3 percent in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

“It began picking up in 2021 at 95.9 percent until 2022 at 96.7 percent, the highest rate recorded since 2018,” Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

The number of employed Guimarasnons in 2022 was 78,000, higher than the 72,410 in 2021, and 65,800 in 2020.

Unemployment rate in 2022 was 3.4 percent, lower by 0.7 percentage points from the 4.1 percent unemployment rate in 2021, and lower by more than half against the 2020 level with 8 percent.

“Comparing the unemployment results from pre-pandemic levels, the 2022 unemployment rate is the lowest since 2018. Only in 2020 that the unemployment rate in Guimaras soared to 8 percent due to Covid-19 pandemic which affected businesses,” Losare said.

The number of unemployed persons in 2022 totaled 3,000, a bit lesser compared to 3,090 unemployed in 2021, and a significant decrease against 5,710 jobless Gumarasnons in 2020.

Losare said the 62.1 percent labor force participation rate (LFPR) of Guimaras in 2022 translated to about 81,000 individuals (15 years old and over) who were either employed or unemployed.

“The 62.1% LFPR was higher than the reported rate in 2021 with 58.7 percent, and 9,490 more than the total labor force population in 2020 with 71,510 Guimarasnons,” Losare said.

Also, around 11,000 persons were considered underemployed or 14.1 percent underemployment rate, higher compared to 2021 at 6.9 percent and 2020 at 12.9 percent.