RP jobless rises to 11.4%

RP jobless rises to 11.4%

MANILA (AFP): The Philippines' unemployment rate rose to 11.4 percent in January, compared to 9.5 percent in the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said Friday.

Unemployment grew 1.9 percentage points, or by 698,000 people, due to a 3.5 percent reduction of agricultural jobs and the entry of 1.05 million new members into the labor force, it said in a statement.

Industrial employment rose 6.3 percent while service jobs grew 3.5 percent, it said.

The government said the labor force rose 3.4 percent over the period to 31.7 million.

President Gloria Arroyo told labor officials and employers' groups on Thursday that short-term job prospects in the Philippines were unlikely to improve soon despite general investor euphoria over the ouster of disgraced leader Joseph Estrada in January.