Philippines jobless rate worst in emerging Asia

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): Despite an easing in the March unemployment rate, the Philippines remained the worst job market in emerging Asia with the biggest share of the unemployed to the labour force, a report of the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) showed.

While the 7.1-per cent jobless rate posted in March was the lowest since April last year, the height of the longest and most stringent Covid-19 lockdown in the region Neda said the revert of the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for two weeks and then to modified ECQ (MECQ) in April would temporarily reverse employment gains.