Sixty-five percent of the population 15 years old and over were in the labor force

In April 2023, more than 13 in every 20 MIMAROPAns 15 years old and over or 65.2 percent of the estimated 2.13 million total persons in the age group population were part of the labor force. The level of labor force participation rate (LFPR) in the region increased by 1.8 percentage points, from the previous estimate in April 2022 which recorded only 63.5 percent. Moreover, the region’s LFPR in April 2023 is 0.1 percentage point higher than the national estimate, which was 65.1 percent.  

MIMAROPA Region’s employment rate climbed to 97.1 percent

Of the estimated 1.39 million persons who belong to the age group 15 years old and over and who were in the labor force in the MIMAROPA Region, 97.1 percent were employed in April 2023. This translates to an estimated 1.35 million employed MIMAROPAns.

The MIMAROPA Region’s employment rate was 2.3 percentage points higher that its estimated employment rate of 94.8 percent in the same month of 2022. Moreover, this regional estimate was 1.6 percentage points higher than the national estimate of 95.5 percent as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2 also shows that Region II (Cagayan Valley) recorded the highest employment rate among regions in the country at 97.6 percent in April 2023, while Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) recorded highest employment rate at 97.2 percent in the same month of 2022. On the other hand, CALABARZON recorded the lowest employment rate in April 2023 at 94.5 percent while Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao recorded with 92.2 percent in the same month of the previous year.

Unemployment rate of MIMAROPA Region was estimated at 2.9 percent

Of the estimated 1.39 million MIMAROPAns 15 years old and over in the labor force, about 2.9 percent were unemployed in April 2023. This translates to a nearly 0.04 million unemployed MIMAROPAns.

Unemployment rate in the region went down by 2.3 percentage points from its estimated unemployment rate of 5.2 percent in April 2022. Moreover, this regional rate has lower by 1.6 percentage points than the country’s estimate of 4.5 percent.

Figure 3 shows that CALABARZON recorded the highest unemployment rate at 5.5 percent in April 2023. On the other hand, Region II (Cagayan Valley) recorded the lowest unemployment rate with 2.4 percent in April 2023.

Underemployment rate of MIMAROPA Region went down at 15.3 percent

The underemployment rate of MIMAROPA decreased by 4.9 percentage points, that is, from 20.2 percent in April 2022 to 15.3 percent in April 2023. MIMAROPA’s underemployment rate in April 2023 translates to an estimated 0.21 million. Underemployed MIMAROPAns out of estimated 1.35 million employed MIMAROPAns. Moreover, the regional underemployment rate was 2.4 percentage points higher than the national estimate of 12.9 percent. 

Figure 4 shows that among regions in the country, Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) recorded the highest underemployment rate at 29.2 percent in April 2023 and 23.3 percent in April 2022. On the other hand, Region VII (Central Visayas) recorded the lowest underemployment rate with 6.8 percent in April 2023 and National Capital Region with 7.0 percent in April 2022.

(SGD) LENI R. RIOFLORIDO
Regional Director

MLLM/OHG/RRL/CBDT