A recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that 69% of Filipino adults believe that finding a job is currently challenging.
The survey, conducted from March 26 to 29, indicated that only 11% of respondents found job hunting to be easy, while 16% considered it neither easy nor difficult. The remaining four percent admitted uncertainty regarding the matter.
According to the SWS, data from previous surveys dating back to 2011 consistently shows that Filipinos have struggled to find employment.
A graph released by the SWS displayed a range of 60% to 80% job difficulty over the past 12 years. During the peak of the pandemic, this percentage soared to nearly 90% before gradually declining to 70% last year.
Optimism on job availability
In addition to assessing the current job market, the survey also explored respondents' expectations for the future.
Surprisingly, 50% expressed optimism, believing that there will be more job opportunities in the coming 12 months.
On the other hand, 10% anticipated fewer job openings, while 26% predicted no significant changes. A further 14% remained uncertain about future job prospects.
The SWS pointed out that, apart from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos have generally maintained a positive outlook regarding job availability since 2009.
However, optimism plummeted to less than 20% in 2020 and 2021, coinciding with the strict lockdown measures implemented at that time. During this period, a greater number of respondents believed that job opportunities would diminish in the following year.
The SWS's 2023 First Quarter Survey gathered insights from 1,200 respondents and carries a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent.
