In our society, we are aware that in order to buy necessities and essentials in life, a job is needed.

A job
whether the salary is high or low as long as it is decent, is absolutely necessary, especially for parents.
Jobs or often called work, enables a parent to provide for the family specifically for their children, in
order to give them the basic necessities and a proper education they need.

As time passes by from generation to generation, job opportunities and vacancies have decreased in
rates, and many have been unemployed due to these reasons and some are due to laziness. Over the
years, the issue of unemployment have remained unsolved but improvements in various rates have
been observed.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), workers were grouped into three broad sectors,
namely, agriculture, industry and services sector. Workers in the services sector comprised the largest
proportion of the employed population. These workers made up 57.8 percent of the total employed in
July 2019. Those engaged in the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
accounted for the largest percentage (34.8%) of workers in the services sector. In July 2018, workers in
the services sector accounted for 57.5 percent of the total employed, with 33.4 percent were engaged in
the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. Unemployment rate in July
2020 was estimated at 10.0 percent. This is higher than the unemployment rate of the same month a
year ago placed at 5.4 percent, but lower than the record high 17.7 percent during April 2020.
Unemployed Filipinos who are 15 years old and over was estimated at 4.6 million in July 2020, higher by
2.1 million compared to the same period a year ago but lower by 2.7 million from three months ago.

Labor force participation rate (LFPR) in July 2020 was registered at 61.9 percent, lower than the
reported 62.1 percent in July 2019. In April 2020, the lowest LFPR in the history of the Philippine labor
market was recorded at 55.6 percent. In terms of count, there were 45.9 million out of the 74.1 million
Filipinos 15 years old and over reported either employed or unemployed in July 2020.

Employment rate picked-up at 90.0 percent this July 2020 compared to the record low of 82.3 percent in
April 2020. However, it remains lower than the employment rate of 94.6% in the same month a year
ago. About 41.3 million Filipinos were employed in July 2020, 42.5 million in July 2019, and 33.8 million
in April 2020.

On average, employed persons worked 38.2 hours per week in July 2020, lower than the 41.8 hours per
week in July 2019 but an improvement from the April 2020 estimated average of 35.0 hours per week.

Employed persons who reported with job but not at work was estimated at 3.3 percent or 1.4 million
employed Filipinos in July 2020, with COVID-19 pandemic or community quarantines as the
paramount reason given, similar to that of the second quarter. This was estimated at 0.8 percent
or 328 thousand employed persons with job but not at work in July 2019, and 38.4 percent or 13.0
million in April 2020.

Underemployment rate is down to 17.3 percent in July 2020 compared to the estimate of 18.9 percent
in April 2020. However, this underemployment rate is still worse than the estimate in July 2019 at 13.6
percent. In terms of count, about 7.1 million were underemployed persons as of July 2020, given the
varying working arrangements and reduced working hours being implemented by
companies/establishments. In July 2019 and April 2020, about 5.8 million and 6.4 million Filipinos,
respectively, were underemployed.

While most parts of the country eased the restrictions for community quarantine, five regions still
reported double-digit unemployment rates. The highest unemployment rate estimate of 15.8 percent
was recorded in the National Capital Region (NCR). It was followed by Region IV-A (CALABARZON), 12.4
percent; Region VII (Central Visayas), 11.7 percent; Region I (Ilocos Region), 11.1 percent; and Region III
(Central Luzon), 10.9 percent.

Labor force participation rate is lower among women at 48.5 percent, compared to men at 75.3 percent.
However, women and men have the same employment rates of 90 percent as of July 2020 but more
men (19.0 percent) are underemployed than women (14.5 percent).

Arts, entertainment, and recreation was the most affected sector in July 2020 with a drop in
employment rate of 72.9 percent year-on-year, and a drop of 41.4 percent compared to the second
quarter of 2020. Employment rate in accommodation and food service activities came next which
dropped by 35.9 percent from last year, although there was an increase of 4.7 percent from April 2020.

Youth labor force participation rate (LFPR) improved in July 2020 at 38.9 percent, compared to 38.3
percent in July 2019, and 32.4 percent in April 2020. There were about 7.8 million Filipino youth who
were either employed (6.0 million) or unemployed (1.7 million) as of July 2020. In April 2020, about 6.5
million youth were in the labor force, of which 4.4 million were employed and 2.0 million were
unemployed.

The country’s unemployment rate in August 2021 was estimated at 8.1 percent, or an increase of 1.2
percentage points from the 6.9 percent reported a month ago. The unemployment rate in August 2021
was lower than those reported in January, February, and April this year but it was higher than the rates
in March 2021 (7.1%), May and June 2021 (7.7%), and in July 2021 (6.9%). Total number of unemployed
persons in August 2021 was estimated at 3.88 million individuals 15 years old and over.

The labor force participation rate (LFPR) in August 2021 picked up to 63.6 percent, translated to about
48.12 million Filipinos 15 years old and over who were either employed or unemployed. This was higher
than the LFPR reported in January 2021 (60.5%), February 2021 (63.5%), April 2021 (63.2%), and July
2021 (59.8%).

Employment rate in August 2021 dropped to 91.9 percent from the 93.1 percent in July 2021. In terms
of magnitude, 44.23 million out of 48.12 million individuals in the labor force were employed. This was
higher than the employment rate in April 2021 (91.3%) during which the National Capital Region Plus
Bubble was under Enhanced Community Quarantine status.

Employed persons reported with job but not at work was up to 0.9 percent from 0.7 percent in July
2021. The average weekly hours worked by an employed person in August 2021 was reported at 39.6
hours per week. This was lower than the reported average weekly hours in July 2021 at 41.8 hours.
The number of underemployed persons decreased by 2.21 million, from 8.69 million in July 2021 to 6.48
million in August 2021. Underemployment rate was estimated at 14.7 percent this August 2021, the
third lowest reported this year along with 12.3 percent in May 2021 and 14.2 percent in June 2021.

Visibly underemployed or those working less than 40 hours in a week and expressed the desire to have
additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to have a new job with longer
working hours, was estimated at 10.4 percent of the total employed persons. This estimate was slightly
lower than the reported in July 2021 at 10.8 percent.

On the other hand, invisibly underemployed or those working at least 40 hours in a week but still
expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to
have a new job with longer working hours, was estimated at 4.2 percent of the total employed
individuals. This was lower than the reported invisible underemployment rate in July 2021 at 10.0
percent.

By broad industry group, the services sector consistently dominated the employment hub accounting for
56.0 percent of the total employed persons in August 2021. The agriculture and the industry sectors
contributed 25.1 percent and 18.9 percent, respectively.

We can clearly tell that unemployment rates are uncertain. It is observed that when the covid outbreak
started the rates have been more unstable, many workers have been fired from their work because
companies and businesses are decreasing number of worker and some have shutdown due to the virus.
Life is tough but it became tougher for those who lost their jobs and to the poor at the same time.

Given this situation, the unemployment of citizens in the Philippines have caused problems not only for
parents but also for students as well. For instance, even before covid started here in the Philippines, our
unemployment rates are high due to lack of job opportunities and vacancies causing poverty, because if
there's no job there will be no income. Some students we're forced to work in order to support and
provide for themselves which can be truly difficult at times, and can affect their education, it makes
them lost their focus and interest to continue studying. Some students doesn't go to school anymore or
drop outed from school because they chose to find a job in order to help their family and conquer
poverty. As the unemployment rates increases there is a big possibility that child labor rates will also
increase.

Because of such reasons, the researcher have decided to propose this research study in order to provide
a possible hypothesis and sum up necessary data regarding the dilemma, in order to present a research
that will serve as an eye opener not just for the citizens, but for the government as well, for them to act
upon it. Issues like this should be addressed and provided as soon as possible with necessary action,
prevention or intervention immediately, because it's not just the good of the country's economy but
also for the community.