The decrease in unemployment rates recorded in November 2024 is a positive development and a sign that the government is working to expand the country’s economy, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said on Friday.

In a statement, Romualdez said that reports from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that unemployment numbers went down by 3.2 percent in November — from 12.6 percent the previous month to 10.8 percent — indicate that the right economic policies are in place.

“The right economic policies are driving our growth and generating jobs for jobless Filipinos. We are happy for those who have found employment and who are working longer hours than before,” he added.

According to the Speaker, there are programs which may assist people still unemployed, like the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, under the Department of Social Welfare and Development; and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Furthermore, Romualdez said that jobless Filipinos can avail of training programs under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, so that they can fine tune their skills and find appropriate jobs.

Despite these developments, Romualdez also admitted that lowering unemployment is a big task, which is why the House commits to continue helping the government in stimulating the economy.

“It’s a big challenge, which we hope to successfully address for the benefit of all of our people,” he said.

According to the PSA, a nationwide survey of 11,276 households showed that there were 1.66 million individuals who were either jobless or out of business in November, lower than the 1.97 million recorded in October.

Furthermore, the quality of available work also improved, compared to October 2024 when the unemployment rate went down but the quality of jobs worsened.

by Gabriel Pabico Lalu, reprinted with permission from the PDI