In its latest Labor Force Survey, the NSO said more than half or 51.7 percent were in the services sector.

The largest employed workforce in the services sector were in wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods, numbering 7.2 million or 19.6 percent of total employed.

Those in the agriculture sector comprised the next largest group with 33.6 percent of the total employed.

Only 14.7 percent of the total employed population were in the industry sector.

Among the various occupation groups, laborers and unskilled workers comprised the largest proportion, 32.4 percent of the total employed population, followed by farmers, forestry workers and fishermen with 16.2 percent share of the total employed population.

The unemployment rate was unchanged in October at 7.1 percent from a year ago.

The NSO said 2.8 million Filipinos were out of jobs in October, up from 2.72 million a year ago.

In July, the unemployment rate was 6.9 percent.

The National Capital Region (NCR) posted the highest unemployment rate at 12.6 percent and lowest in Cagayan Valley at 2.6 percent.

There were more unemployed males at 63.3 percent than females, 36.7 percent.

Almost half or 49.3 percent of the unemployed were in age group 15 years to 24 years.

The NSO said 33.3 percent of the unemployed were high school graduates, 22.9 percent were college undergraduates, while about 19.4 percent were college graduates.

Out of the estimated 61.2 million population 15 years old and over in October, around 39.3 million persons were reported to be in the labor force.

These figures placed the labor force participation rate (LFPR) in October at 64.2 percent as compared to last year's LFPR of 64.0 percent

The NSO said the number of underemployed persons in October 2010 was estimated at 7.1 million, placing the current underemployment rate at 19.6 percent.

Manila Bulletin