MANILA, Sept 30 (NNN-PNA) – Around 3.88 million Filipinos were out of work in Aug, up from the 3.07 million reported in July, according to a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) survey, released today.
In an online briefing, PSA head, Dennis Mapa, said, the unemployment rate increased to 8.1 percent from 6.9 percent in July, as the country reverted to tighter COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, to curb the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant.
The country’s economic team expressed optimism that the Philippines will recover to its pre-pandemic growth trajectory, by the end of 2022 or early 2023.
The economic team comprises Socioeconomic Planning Secretary, Karl Kendrick Chua, Finance Secretary, Carlos Dominguez, and Budget officer-in-charge, Tina Rose Marie.
To better manage the health risks from COVID-19 and enable the people to earn a living, the team stressed the need to ramp up the vaccination programme and focus on granular lockdowns, while preventing COVID-19 transmissions.
“These efforts will complement our recovery programme and help our country bounce back from this crisis,” the team added.– NNN-PNA
