The unemployment rate in Eastern Visayas in April 2025 was estimated at 3.0 percent, similar to the rate posted in April 2024, but 0.6 percentage point higher than the 2.4 percent unemployment rate in January 2025. The unemployment rate in April 2025 translates to 60 thousand unemployed persons out of the 2.01 million persons in the labor force. The number of unemployed persons in April 2024 was 62 thousand, while that in January 2025 was 52 thousand.
The region’s employment rate in April 2025 was estimated at 97.0 percent, the same rate was registered in April 2024. This employment rate translates to 1.95 million employed persons out of 2.01 million persons in the labor force of Eastern Visayas in April 2025. The number of employed persons in April 2025 was lower by 76 thousand compared with the 2.03 million employed persons in April 2024. This was also lower by 134 thousand than the 2.09 million employed persons in January 2025 at 97.6 percent.
Eastern Visayas registered a Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of 59.5 percent in April 2025. This placed the region’s labor force at 2.01 million persons who were either employed or unemployed out of the 3.39 million population 15 years old and over in
April 2025. The 59.5 percent LFPR in April 2025 was 3.0 percentage points lower than the 62.4 percent LFPR recorded in April 2024. Moreover, this was 3.9 percentage points lower than the 63.4 percent LFPR recorded in January 2025. Relatedly, the 2.01 million labor force in April 2025 in Eastern Visayas was lower than the 2.14 million labor force in January 2025.
The underemployment rate in April 2025 was posted at 15.8 percent. This means that out of 1.95 million employed persons in April 2025, there were about 309 thousand employed persons who expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work. The 15.8 percent underemployment rate in April 2025 was lower by 4.3 percentage points than the 20.1 percent underemployment rate reported in April 2024. This was also lower by 0.3 percentage point than the 16.1 percent underemployment rate in January 2025. (PR)
Clear dives
What keeps government officials from sharing and disclosing vital information to the public regarding nagging questions about the damage of the San Juanico Bridge that until the time the information remains unclear, chiefly on the structural findings of the consultant. The photos shared to the public showing rust and corrosion are superficial images that do not describe the strength of the damage of the piers, girders, trusses and gusset plates shown in the pictures. There too were no underwater images and videos showing the damaged foundations. All these information if shared to the media and the public would dispel all doubts regarding what appears to be a progressive cost and timeline for the complete retrofitting of the bridge.
This writer had been asking for a detailed information regarding the findings as to the structural damage, the detailed cost estimate as well as the original load design of the bridge that would explain why the sudden goal to restore the bearing capacity of the bridge to 12 tons. The original load design that the public works and highways department is now aiming to restore is reportedly the 33 tons original bearing capacity. Increasing the bearing capacity to more than 10 times the 3 tons limit that the said agency imposed when it closed the bridge due to the reported damage is certainly too costly.
People could not be blamed if they entertain doubts as to the continuing increase of the cost that the repair of the bridge would reportedly require. There too are suggestions from various sectors to have the original contractor that constructed the bridge be tapped to undertake the repair. The public would be interested if the repair would be made transparent considering that it is taxpayers’ money that is used to finance the repair. Some people believe that the original builder has the expertise and experience than any other. But we could not discount the capability of other contractors who may have advanced equipment and technology to do the job. All that the public needs is transparency so that they can participate in checking the repair works.
Many people smell something fishy about the bridge repair that seems a work in increasing cost. It really needs more that meets the eye to seen through what remains murky. The search and retrieval operations in Taal lake has shown transparent updates, sharing to the public underwater videos of the divers looking for the alleged missing sabungeros despite the murky water of Taal lake. Why can’t the public works and highways department do the same insofar as the San Juanico Bridge repair is concerned?
comments to alellema@yahoo.com