Abstract

The Labor Turnover Survey (LTS) aims to generate quarterly data on labor turnover (accession and separation rates) as indicators of labor market activity in large business enterprises.

The information gathered in this survey is intended to generate timely labor market signals as sound basis in planning, policy formulation and decision making in goverment, business and industry.

Geographic coverage

National capital region

Analysis unit

Enterprise

Universe

The sampling frame for the 2016 LTS is an integrated list from enterprises culled from the 2015 List of Establishments in the NCR prepared by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the updated sampling frames of LTS 2014 and LTS 2015. This comprises 16,194 business firms/enterprises with an employment size of at least 20.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The enterprise is the unit of enumeration in the LTS and it has for its sampling domain the eighteen (18) major industry groups (1-digit) based on the 2009 PSIC. The survey covered business enterprises located in the National Capital Region (NCR) to provide a quick and timely assessment of the labor market activity through a sample survey with manageable sample size given the limited budget. NCR accounts for one-third of the country's gross domestic product and about two-thirds of the total large business enterprises in the Philippines.

The sampling frame for the 2016 LTS is an integrated list from enterprises culled from the 2015 List of Establishment in the NCR prepared by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in coordination with Service and Industry Census Division (SICD) the updated sampling frames of LTS 2014 and LTS 2015. This comprises 16,194 business firms/enterprises with an employment size of at least 20. This list was obtained and updated prior to the conduct of LTS for the first quarter of 2016. The updated frame was used in the sample size determination and sample selection for the first quarter survey round. The same sample size was retained in all quarters of the year.

After each survey round, all enterprises that responded are automatically considered as samples for the next survey rounds. To fill up the lack in the computed sample size, samples will be drawn by industry from the updated sampling frame. In cases where there are no enterprises to sample in some industries, the total number of samples needed for these industries will be allocated proportionally to other industries with available samples.

The sample enterprises in each domain were drawn through simple random sampling.

Sampling deviation

Replacement of sample enterprise is done when the sampled enterprise falls in one of the following situation during the field operation: (1) cannot be located; (2) refuse to answer; (3) temporarily closed; (4) duplicate of another sample enterprise; (5) permanently closed; or (6) on strike.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire contained the following information:

1. Name and Address of Enterprise

2. Main Economic Activity and Major Products/Goods or Services

3. Item of Information

I. Employment A. Total Employment ( Month 1. Month 2, Month 3)

II. Labor Turnover A. Total Accessions (New Hires) 1. Expansion 2. Replacement

B. Total Separation 1. Employee-initiated 2. Employer-initiated

III. Agency-hired Workers

IV. Existing Job Vacancies

1. Certification of Respondents

2. Survey Personnel

Response rate

1st Qtr - 96.59 % 2nd Qtr - 98.22 % 3rd Qtr - 97.33 % 4th Qtr - 100.00 %

Abstract

The Labor Force Survey (LFS) is a nationwide survey of households conducted quarterly to gather data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population. It is primarily geared towards the estimation of the levels of employment and unemployment in the country. One of the objectives of the Labor Force Survey is to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market. Specifically, the survey is designed to provide statistics on levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment of the country, as a whole, and for the 17 administrative regions.

A total national sample of 42,768 sample housholds (rounds with Batanes sample) or 42,576 sample households (rounds without Batanes sample) will be alloted per survey round deemed sufficient to provide more precise and reliable estimates at the national and regional levels only.

The survey involves the collection of data on demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population in general. The reporting unit is the household which means that statistics emanating from this survey refers to the characteristics of the population residing in private households. Persons who belongs to the institutional population are not within the scope of the survey.

Geographic coverage

The sample was selected to allow separate estimates for the national level, and regional levels only (17 administrative regions).

National Capital Region (NCR) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Region I - Ilocos Region Region II - Cagayan Valley Region III - Central Luzon Region IV-A - CALABARZON Region IV-B - MIMAROPA Region V - Bicol Region Region VI - Western Visayas Region VII - Central Visayas Region VIII - Eastern Visayas Region IX - Zamboanga Peninsula Region X - Northern Mindanao Region XI - Davao Region Region XII - SOCCSKSARGEN Caraga Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

Analysis unit

Individual or Person Persons 15 years old and over

Universe

The survey covered all household members of the sample households.

Considered as members of a household are:

a. Persons who are present at the time of visit, whose usual place of residence is the sample household regardless of their length of stay in the household;

b. Persons who are present at the time of visit, whose usual place of residence is outside the sample household but have stayed temporarily with the sample household, for at least 30 days;

c. Persons who are present at the time of visit, whose usual place of residence is outside the sample household but have stayed with the sample household even for less than 30 days, provided that they have been away from their usual place of residence for 30 days or more;

d. Persons who are not present at the time of visit, but are expected to return within 30 days from date of departure to their usual place of residence, which is the sample household; and

e. The following family members who are away at the time of visit:

 1 . Overseas contract workers (OCWs);

 2. Other overseas Filipino workers who have been away for not more than five years from the date of departure, and are expected to be back within five years from the date of last departure;

 3. Employees in Philippine embassies, consulates and other missions; and

 4. Students abroad/tourists who have been away for one year or less and are expected to be back within a year from the date of departure. This category also includes those attending training abroad, medical treatment and missionaries.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The 2013 Master Sample for household-based survey:

In order to be more effecient in the conduct of household based-surveys, the PSA designed a master sample consists of randomly assigned and selected set of geographic areas with non-overlapping and discernable boundaries known as the primary sampling units (PSUs). The primary sampling unit (PSU) can be (1) the whole barangay, or (2) a portion of a large barangay, or (3) combinations of small barangays.

Provinces and Highly Urbanized Ciities as Sampling Domain

To provide sub-national or provincial level statistics with precise estimates the 2013 MS has 117 major domains as follows: 81 provinces (including the newly created province Davao Occidental); 33 highly urbanized cities (HUC) (including 16 citiies in the National Capital Region; and 3 other areas (Pateros, Isabela City, and Cotabato City).

Primary Sampling Units

In the 2013 MS design each sampling diomain(i.e., province/HUC is divided into exhaustive and non-overlapping area segments known as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) with about 100 to 400 households. Thus, a PSU can be a barangay/Enumeration Area (EA) or a portion of a large barangay or two or more adjacent small barangays/EAs. The PSUs are then ordered according to the following: (1) North-South/West-East Geographic location; (2)decreasing proporion of households with overseas workers; and (3) decreasing wealth index.

Replicates

From the ordered list of PSUs, all possible systematic samples of 6 PSUs will be drawn to form a replicate for the most of the province domain i.e., 75 out of 81 provinces while all possible systemmatic sample of 8 PSUs will be drawn to form a replicate for most of the HUCs, i.e., 31 of 33 HUCs. Small province domains such as Guimaras, Siquijor, Camiguin, Apayao, and Dinagat Isalnds will have 3 PSUs per replicate. Batanes with very less PSUs formed will have 3 PSUs per replicate but will be covered twice a year only (i.e., January and July rounds only). For other HUCs, San Juan City and Lucena City will have 3 and 5 PSUs per replicate, while the other urban areas, Pateros, and City of Isabela will also have 3 PSUs per replicate while Cotabato City will be allocated with 5 PSUs per replicate.

For instance, in Cagayan with 1008 PSUs formed, a total 1008/6 = 168 possible systematic samples of size 6 or 168 R groups or replicates can be made. The 168 replicates formed are then sorted at random so that the first 4 replicates will be in the first round, next 4 in the second round, and so on.

Sample Allocation Scheme

For each domain, a total of 4 sample replicates will be allotted for each survey round. However, the total number of sample SSUs will be alloted proportionately to the measure of size of the PSU. Thus, a PSU with only 100 households would have less number of samples households than PSUs with 400 households but on the average there will be 12 sample households allotted for each PSU in HUCs and an average of 16 sample households alloted for every PSUs in province domains.

A total national sample of 42,768 sample households (rounds with Batanes sample) or 42,576 sample households (rounds without Batanes sample) will be allotted per survey round.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

ISH FORM 2 (LFS questionnaire) is a four-page, forty three-column questionnaire that is being used in the quarterly rounds of the Labor Force Survey nationwide. This questionnaire gathers data on the demographic and economic characteristics of the population.

On the first page of the questionnaire, the particulars about the geographic location, design codes and household auxiliary information of the sample household that is being interviewed are to be recorded. Certifications by the enumerator and his supervisor regarding the manner by which the data are collected are likewise to be made on this page.

The inside pages of the questionnaire contain the items to be determined about each member of the sample household. Columns 2 to 10 are for the demographic characteristics; columns 2 to 5A are to be ascertained of all members of the household regardless of age. Columns 6 to 7 are asked for members 5 years old and over, while column 8 is asked for members 5 to 24 years old, column 9 to 10, for 15 years old and over, while columns 11 to 15 are asked for members 5 years old and over. Columns 18 to 42 on the other hand, are the series of items that will be asked of all the members 15 years old and over to determine their labor force and employment characteristics.

Other Relevant Information: The question on hunger experienced by any member of the family because they did not have food to eat, was asked to the head of the household. If in question A, the answer is Yes the frequency of experiencing hunger was asked in question B.

Most of the questions have pre-coded responses. The possible answers with their corresponding codes are printed at the bottom of the page for easy reference. Only the appropriate codes need to be entered in the cells.

Other items, however, require write-in entries such as column 14 (primary occupation) and column 16 (kind of business/industry), etc. For such items, it is required that the enumerator describes the primary occupation or kind of business/industry.

The ISH Form 2 is provided as Technical Documents.

Cleaning operations

Data Processing

Verification and review of questionnaires

The SRs were expected to have verified the completeness of the questionnaires, correctness of the entries, consistency of the entries in the different related items, and the correctness of the codes that were entered in the boxes before the questionnaires were submitted to the Assistant Provincial Supervisor or the Provincial Supervisor. Use the list of sample barangays/EAs provided for coding the region, provinces, municipalities and barangays.

The Assistant Provincial Supervisor or the Provincial Supervisor. upon receipt of the questionnaires reviewed the forms and code the responses for occupation

Based on the preliminary estimates for 2023, the unemployment rate in Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) in the Philippines was at 5.9 percent, significantly lower than the previous year’s estimates. The region’s unemployment rate peaked in 2020 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Which Metro Manila city has the highest unemployment rate? Valenzuela City had the highest unemployment rate among other cities in Metro Manila in 2022, which was estimated at 9.3 percent. This was followed by the cities of Caloocan and Malabon. Meanwhile, the capital city of Manila had an unemployment rate of about 8.6 percent. The region’s labor force participation rate has been steadily increasing since 2018, although it remains to have one of the lowest employment rates nationwide. Daily minimum wages in Metro Manila As of June 2024, workers in the non-agricultural industries in the National Capital Region (NCR) had a minimum wage of 573 Philippine pesos – the highest nationwide. Despite agriculture not being the leading industry in the region, workers in the agricultural plantation industries also had the same daily minimum wage. In 2022, the Philippines had one of the highest minimum monthly wages in the Asia-Pacific region.

As of May 2020, Region 4-A had the largest population in the Philippines, with approximately 16.2 million inhabitants living in the region. The region is part of the Island of Luzon along with regions one, two, three, 4-B, five, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the National Capital Region (NCR).