3.8 Labor Force and Employment

The productive age group totaled 214,574 females and 227,980 males as of the 2000 census on population. A breakdown of the productive age group into three levels is presented in the table below. The said grouping are the following: 15-24 years old age group comprising 34.46%; 25 to 44 years old comprising 45.35% and 45 to 64 years old comprising 20.21%. The data suggest that the province has very young and able people in the productive age group who can be economically active if given enough opportunities.

Table No. 3-13: Breakdown of the Productive Age Group by Sex

Davao del Norte, 2000

Age Group	Female	%	Male	%	Total	%
15-24	75,159	35.03	77,319	33.91	152,478	34.46
25-44	97,207	45.30	103,451	45.38	200,658	45.35
45-64	42,208	19.67	47,210	20.71	89,418	20.21
Total	214,574	100.00	227,980	100.00	442,494	100.00

Source: Provincial Planning and Development Office, Davao del Norte

Data based on the NSO 2000 Census on Population Report

The male population, 15 years old and over is 240,081 as of the 2000 census. About 186,303 are in the labor force, generating an 77.6% Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR). Some 172,889 are gainfully employed while 13,414 are unemployed. Employment rate is placed at 92.8% and unemployment rate is7.2%. Those that are not counted in the labor force totaled 53,778. They could be persons who opted not to go to work and persons who are still in school.

Table No 3-14: Labor Force and Employment of Male Population Fifteen (15) Years Old and Over

Davao del Norte, ( 2000, 2006 and 2010)

	2000	Population Participation Rate		2006	2010
		2000	Jan 2003
Total Population	381,303			448,751	505,032
Population 15 Years Old and Over	240,081			297,661	346,196
In the Labor Force	186,303	77.6	83.9	249738	265,288
Employed	172,889	92.8	94.5	236,002	250,698
Unemployed	13,414	7.2	5.5	13,736	14,590
Not in the Labor Force	53,778	22.1	16.1	47,923	80,908

Source: Provincial Planning and Development Office, Davao del Norte

NSO 2000 & 1995 Census on Population and 2003 Southern Mindanao Statistical Yearbook

As of the 2000 census, the female population, 15 years old and over totals 226,715,. 44.02% of the said population represents those who joined the labor force. The employment rate is 93.57% and unemployment rate is 6.2%. About 126,960 or 56.00% is not in the labor force.

It can be noted that a greater percentage of males are in the labor force than females, although females have a higher rate of employment. This can be attributed to a cultural notion that the better place of women is in the home, or on the economic side, there are less job opportunities offered to women. Surprisingly there are more jobs offered to females.

Table No 3-15 Labor Force and Employment of Female

Population Fifteen (15) Years Old and Over

Davao del Norte, (2000, 2006 and 2010)

	2000	Population Participation Rate		2006	2010
		2000	Jan 2003
Total Population	362,508			429,679	332,252
Population 15 Years Old and Over	226,715			284,053	297,661
In the Labor Force	99,755	44.0	48.6	138,050	144,663
Employed	93,570	93.8	84.3	116,376	121,951
Unemployed	6,185	6.2	15.7	21,674	22,712
Not in the Labor Force	126,960	56.00	51.4	146,003	152,998

Source: Provincial Planning and Development Office, Davao del Norte

NSO 2000 & 1995 Census on Population/2001 Southern Mindanao Statistical Yearbook

As population increases over time so does the labor force. Correspondingly, it becomes a growing concern of government for it does not only mean more mouths to feed or more heads to provide shelter and education. A growing population means more hands to provide work to do, but work is scarce. This validates an observation in a World Bank Report dated 1983 that states: “High fertility countries face large increases in their labor forces. In countries with growing labor forces the stocks of capital (both human and physical) must continually increase just to maintain current productivity. Unless this happens, each worker will produce less; productivity, and thus incomes, will then stagnate and even fall.”