The economic consequences of COVID-19 are likely to affect regions very differently, with tourist destinations and large cities suffering the most in the short term. Regions have different sectoral specialization, exposure to global value chains, focus on tradable vs. non-tradable sectors, and shares of non-standard employment. Consequently, some regions are likely to suffer more than others from containment measures, facing a steeper economic recession and larger shares of jobs at risk. The estimates illustrated in this note regarding jobs potentially at risk refer to activities directly affected by the shutdowns, but a significant share of those may still be at risk even after confinement is lifted due to other social distancing regulations and continuing restrictions on certain activities. According to a recent note by the OECD9, sectors most at risk include manufacturing of transport equipment; construction; wholesale and retail trade; air transport, accommodation and food services; real estate services; professional service activities; and arts, entertainment and recreation (see the annex for further information on the methods to estimate the share of jobs potentially at risk).

 

LINK:

https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/from-pandemic-to-recovery-local-employment-and-economic-development-879d2913/ 

 

The main problem in our country is the population and no one can be fully prepared to be in this situation. Before the pandemic, the government's economic team aimed to reduce poverty to 14% of the population by 2022. Therefore, in some locations, the government has lessened the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or lockdown. Following that, a lower restriction known as the modified ECQ was implemented, allowing certain businesses to reopen, including hairdressers, small stores, and businesses. In addition, the Build, Build, Build projects will be prioritized by the government to increase employment opportunities. However, according to  Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, they are working hard to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on workers and businesses through continuously updating the policies that contains the spread of COVI-19 and eventually lessen its impacts.

Being unemployed is a difficult experience, especially in these uncertain times. However, we may turn our job loss into an opportunity to try new things since how we respond to our current situation will influence how we cope or survive in the future. We can also try to find alternate jobs, as many individuals do to earn a living despite the obstacles. As citizens, we can contribute to achieve of the goals by cooperating, participating in, and supporting the government's activities or programs.

LINKS:

PSA: 3.8 million Filipinos unemployed in October

 

One quarter of total employment in the Philippines is likely to be disrupted by the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and labour market, either through decreased earnings and working hours or complete job loss. This translates to about 10.9 million workers. Women account for 38 per cent of the jobs at risk of COVID-19 disruption.

The high-risk sectors consist of industries that are least likely to remain operative with containment measures in place or are experiencing sharp slumps in demand due to the pandemic. These sectors include manufacturing, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities, and arts, entertainment and recreation.

About 900,000 jobs, or more than one fifth of total manufacturing employment, are vulnerable to COVID-19-induced job disruption. 

 

The CORONA VIRUS outbreak caused the unemployment rate to spike to 17.7% in April 2020, the highest unemployment rate since the earliest comparable data in 2005, based on the preliminary results of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This is more than triple the 5.1% unemployment rate recorded in April 2019.

Economist AJ Montesa of the Action for Economic Reforms said that the "stay-at-home orders" or the levels of community quarantine imposed as a measure to contain the virus was the most apparent unemployment factor. Most businesses and companies needed to adopt work-from-home arrangements, but only a fraction of workers could work from home.

 

All sectors had lower figures for employed persons. The most affected sectors were wholesale and retail trade, construction, transportation and storage, manufacturing, and accommodation and food services since these seemed to have suffered the biggest reduction of workers.


Uncertainty over the future of production, businesses, and labor market prospects in the country persists. Recent evidence shows that the effect of the pandemic has started to manifest in key economic and labor market indicators. Growth in GDP decelerated by 0.2 percent in Q1 2020, and the total number of employed persons declined by 8 million year-on-year in April 2020. Crippled economic activity is likely to translate to severe disruptions in the job market, particularly through diminished labor demand reflected in firm downsizing and reduction of work hours, in accelerated and deliberate efforts to increase digitalization in the world of work, and in an increased number of individuals engaged in informal or precarious work.

 

Links: 

https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_762209.pdf 

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/coronavirus-causes-highest-unemployment-on-record-duterte-year-4