The results of the April 2017 Labor Force Survey (LFS) revealed an employment rate of 89.6 percent for Ilocos Region. This was 2.9 percentage points lower than the 92.5 percent employment rate recorded in April 2016. The employment rate of Ilocos Region was the lowest across the seventeen regions, lower by 4.7 percentage points when compared with that of the national figure. In terms of the labor force participation rate (LFPR), Ilocos Region posted a decrease of 5.1 percentage points from 61.7 percent in April 2016 to 56.6 percent in April 2017. This was lower than the country’s LFPR of 61.4 percent in April 2017.

Among the regions, Ilocos Region (Region I) recorded the lowest employment rate at 89.6 percent in April 2017.  On the other hand, Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) had the highest employment rate at 97.5 percent.  Meanwhile, National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the next lowest employment rate among the seventeen regions in April 2017 at 92.8 percent. Likewise, Ilocos Region and CALABARZON (Region IVA) posted the lowest employment rate at 92.5 percent and 92.7 percent, respectively in April 2016.

There was an increase of 3.3 percentage points in the number of employed males in Ilocos Region from 62.5 percent in April 2016 to 65.8 percent in April 2017.  On the other hand, a decrease of 3.3 percentage points was recorded among the employed females, from 37.5 percent in April 2016 to 34.2 percent in April 2017.

By education, 47.2 percent of the employed persons in the Ilocos Region attained Junior high school, which was higher by 5.9 percentage points than the 41.3 percent recorded for the whole country.  

About 25.8 percent of the employed persons in Ilocos Region reached college level, which was higher by 0.7 percentage point from the national figure of 25.1 percent in April 2017. 

On the other hand, about 4.2 percent of the employed persons in Ilocos Region attained post-secondary level, which was 0.6 percentage point lower than the 4.8 percent recorded for the whole country during the said period

About 22.3 percent of the employed persons in Ilocos Region attained elementary level, lower by 4.7 percentage points with that of the national level at 27.0 percent.  

The percentage of employed persons in Ilocos Region with no grade completed was only 0.5 percent, lower by 0.9 percentage point as compared to the 1.4 percent recorded for the Philippines.

Among the various occupation groups, workers under elementary occupations comprised the biggest group making up 27.6 percent in April 2017 and 25.2 percent in April 2016.

Service and sales workers made up the second largest occupation group in Ilocos Region accounting for 16.3 percent in April 2017 and 19.2 percent in April 2016. 

Officials of the government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors was the third biggest group with 15.2 percent while skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers category was the fourth biggest occupation group with 16.3 percent in April 2017. Meanwhile, officials of the government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors was the fourth largest group in April 2016 with 15.7 percent. 

In terms of the percent distribution of employed persons by major industry, workers in the services sector accounted the largest group, making up 57.6 percent and 55.7 percent of the total employed in Ilocos Region in April 2017 and April 2016, respectively.

Workers in the agriculture sector, on the other hand, comprised the second largest group in Ilocos Region, accounting for 25.2 percent and 26.0 percent in April 2017 and April 2016, respectively.

Meanwhile, workers in the industry sector made up 17.2 percent of the total number of employed persons in Ilocos Region in April 2017, and 18.3 percent in April 2016.

Seven in every 10 (64.8 percent) of the employed persons in Ilocos Region worked as wage and salary workers in April 2017.  The figure was higher by 9.6 percentage points as compared to the estimate obtained in April 2016 with 55.2 percent.  Own account workers ranked second in April 2017 with 25.8 percent of the total employed persons in Ilocos Region.  This was lower by 5.9 percentage points as compared to April 2016 with 31.7 percent.  The third class of workers was employer on own family operated farm or business with 6.3 percent in April 2017 which was higher by 0.9 percentage points as compared in April 2016 with 5.4 percent.  Unpaid workers in April 2017 recorded 3.0 percent which was lower by 4.7 percentage points as compared to that in April 2016 with   7.7 percent.

For wage and salary workers, the biggest percentage of employed persons were those working in private establishment with almost half (49.2 percent) in April 2017, which is higher by 7.6 percentage points as compared to April 2016.  Employed persons who worked for government or government controlled corporation shared 9.8 percent in April 2016, higher by 1.3 percentage points in April 2016 with 8.5 percent.  On the other hand, the proportion of individuals who worked for private households was 5.8 percent in April 2017, higher by 1.1 percentage points as compared to 4.7 percent in April 2016.   A small percentage recorded at 0.2 percent and 0.4 percent in April 2017 and April 2016, respectively for persons who worked with pay in own-operated farm or business.

The most common job search method used by unemployed persons in Ilocos Region is “approached relative or friends” with 65 percent which is twice higher than the national figure of 32 percent.  Unemployed persons in Region I who “approached employer directly” to search for a job recorded the second highest job search method with 20 percent, while 32 percent with that of the national level. Nine percent was recorded in Ilocos Region for “registered to public employment agency”, which is lower by 12 percentage points as compared to 21 percent for the Philippines in April 2017.  Meanwhile, “registered to private employment agency”, accounted four percent in Ilocos Region as compared to 9 percent for the Philippines during the same period.   

Statistical Tables

TECHNICAL NOTES

• Starting July 2003, the Labor Force Survey (LFS) adopted the 2003 Master Sample Design, with a sample size of approximately 50,000 households.
• Starting in the January 2012 LFS, the codes for industry adopted the 2009 Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC).  Prior to this, codes for industry used the 1994 PSIC.
• Starting in the January 2012 LFS, more detailed categories for highest grade completed used in the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) were also adopted.
• Starting in the January 2012 LFS, a question on whether a household member is a graduate of a technical vocational course was asked for each person 15 years or older.
• Starting April 2005, the new unemployment definition was adopted per NSCB Resolution Number 15 dated October 20, 2004.  As indicated in the said resolution, the unemployed include all persons who are 15 years and over as of their last birthday and are reported as:  (1) without work and currently available for work and seeking work; or (2) without work and currently available for work but not seeking work for the following reasons:

1.      Tired/believed no work available

2.      Awaiting results of previous job application

3.      Temporary illness/disability

4.      Bad weather 

5.      Waiting for rehire/job recall

• Starting with the January 2007 LFS round, the population projections based on the 2000 Census of Population and Housing was adopted to generate the labor force statistics.  This is in compliance with NSCB Resolution No. 1 series of 2005 entitled “Adoption of the Methodology Used in Generating the 2000 Census of Population and Housing-Based National Population Projections”.
• The 2012 Philippine Standard Occupational Classification (PSOC) was adopted starting April 2016.

SGD. SOCRATES L. RAMORES

Regional Director