• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday that there was an increase in the unemployment and underemployment rates in the Negros Island Region for the month of July 2025, compared to last year.
Based on the data shown by the BSP, NIR experienced a notable increase in both issues as the unemployment rate in the region rose to 5.7 percent, which is above the national rate of 5.3 percent. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate also soared to 16.5 percent, higher than the national rate of 14.8 percent.
According to Regional Economic Affairs Staff acting head Roxan Mujeres, unemployment is the state of not having a job, while underemployment is a situation where a person has a job but is still looking for other opportunities to make ends meet.
“This was primarily driven by the adverse effects of weather disturbances on key economic sectors, a decline in labor force participation, and challenges related to underemployment,” Mujeres said.
Mujeres explained that the unemployment data stated that 6 out of 100 Filipinos were unemployed.
Moreover, Mujeres reported that the region’s August 2025 inflation data indicates a positive economic trend, with significant reductions in key commodity groups contributing to the overall decrease in inflation rates.
“This trend suggests improved purchasing power for consumers and a more stable economic environment in the region,” he stressed.
Moreover, he added that the increase in the number of banks and the continued growth in loans and deposits indicate that financial resources remain sound in the region.
As of March 2025, the number of banks in NIR increased by 2.8 percent, from 398 in 2024 to 409 this year, BSP reported.
With a total population of 4.904 million, the NIR is the 10th most populous region in the Philippines.*
