The unemployment situation in the Philippines has shown an improvement comparing the survey results reported from January 2021 and January 2022.
The Labor Force Survey of January 2022 reported that the number of unemployed Filipinos was 2.93 million, which is a big decline of 1.04 million from the 3.96 million unemployed reported in January 2021.
With the government’s eased mobility restrictions, it allowed more people to go out and more businesses to operate. The increase in labor force participation means more Filipinos are actively looking for jobs.
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Unemployment in the Philippines
The unemployment rate slightly increased to 6.6 percent or 3.27 million Filipinos in December 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report.
For January 2022, the Labor Force Survey reported the unemployment rate in the Philippines at 6.4 percent. The figures for the unemployment rate in the Philippines show that the country is still suffering from high unemployment.
Although a large number of Filipinos were able to go back to work after the mobility restrictions brought about by the pandemic, many are still underemployed at a 14.7 percent rate in 2021. There is still a need for the underemployed to have additional hours of work in their current job or have an additional job, or have a new job with longer hours.
Unemployment will have a large impact on your life regardless of your background, especially in these uncertain times. Millions of Filipinos continue to be jobless after the pandemic. Uneven economies in the country as well as around the world have made it difficult for many to find work.
Despite these difficult conditions, there are still many ways to grow and stay hopeful. Unemployment not only puts financial strain on the household, but it can also have mental and emotional effects on you. It can slowly erode your self-esteem, lose energy and motivation to search for a job.
But unemployment can also be seen as an opportunity to begin a new direction in your life. It opens you to finding a new job or career that better suits you, and it also gives you extra time and energy to begin focusing on self-improvement and building better habits in your life.
If you are one of the Filipinos who is suffering from unemployment, these tips will help you collect yourself and know options to consider when looking for new opportunities.
Here are some important steps that can assist you in coping with problems associated with unemployment and financial insecurity.
Keep a Schedule
It is alright to take a few days to do as you please after a job loss but try not to get too comfortable with it. Keeping a schedule is one way to stay productive and focused. Continue to start your day early; this way, you will likely get more tasks done. Doing your daily tasks makes you less likely to grow inactive or depressed.
Acknowledge Your Feelings and Accept the Effects of Job Loss
Grieving is considered a natural response after losing one’s job. After acknowledging your feelings, it will be easier to accept your current situation. Being unemployed is going to impact you. Having unstable finances would mean fewer resources.
Joblessness will also produce important non-monetary and social consequences such as loss of work relationships, sense of control, self-esteem, the meaning of life, and time structure that will negatively affect your health.
The results of unemployment are wide-ranging; it is important to recognize all of these so you can respond positively on how to adapt to income loss and, in effect, regain control of your life.
Treat Yourself
Being unemployed does not invalidate your past achievements; you still possess skills that could still be put to good use in the future. So continue to do things that will create a sense of self-worth.
Unemployment can be very challenging and tiring thus. It is important to treat yourself often. Take time off from your weekly job hunting to rest and recharge.
Letting yourself rest will do wonders to help you go back with your job hunt.
Be Healthy
Stressful times will weaken your immune system, so eating nutritious food will help your body at its best. Enjoy whatever type of exercise that you are used to doing. Exercise reduces stress, brings you energy, and increases your feelings of well-being which will help keep you motivated while looking for a job.
Also, get plenty of rest. It may be difficult to sleep at times but getting good quality sleep will give optimum benefits to you.
Improve Your Skills
One way to go forward is to look for ways to increase your job skills. You will qualify for more entry-level positions with extra training. This is the time to take on that class you always planned to do while you were still working but cannot due to lack of time.
Look for training and certifications you could take, especially those offered for free. Improving your skills will help you stay focused and learn some new and relevant job skills.
Look for New Opportunities
You can start a small business at home, requiring very low capital. Volunteering is also an excellent way to use the extra time. You will learn new things that can be included in your resume, as well as meet new people who could help you find a new job. Turn your joblessness into an opportunity to explore new things.
Work Online
This is a great option for you as many sites offer a variety of ways to make money online. While most of these sites offer lower pay, it is better to move forward than not at all.
Freelancing is a growing industry in the Philippines. The country is even considered one of the fastest-growing markets for the freelance industry in the world.
Start learning the essential skills for successful freelancing. Some of the remote skills that you have a high chance of landing a job include online tutorials, research and content writing, financial consultancy, and digital marketing.
Sean Martin D. Plantado, head of the customer service at Digido.ph, notes that borrowing money while unemployed is a tough ordeal. It is rare to find a lender who would trust that you can pay if you have no source of income.
If you ever find one, they can give you a loan, but the terms will be rather unfavorable to you. An example of this is when they hike up the interest.
If you are among the millions of Filipinos who are currently unemployed, don’t lose hope. This is the time for you to better yourself and grow more qualified to find a job.
The job search process can be challenging. Start with the strategies given, and you will be able to navigate the days ahead just fine. Keep moving forward.
