MANILA, June 6, 2024 (BSS/Xinhua) - The unemployment rate in the Philippines increased to 4 percent in April from 3.9 percent in March, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Thursday.

 PSA head Dennis Mapa said at a press conference that there were 2.04 million jobless Filipinos in April this year.

 "This was lower than the estimated number of unemployed persons of 2.26 million in April 2023 and 2.15 million in January 2024," Mapa said.

 National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that this year's April unemployment rate is lower than the 4.5 percent recorded in April 2023.

 "The government's massive infrastructure push is expected to create opportunities in several priority sectors, such as energy, logistics, and tourism," Balisacan said.

 Balisacan added that the government "will also explore opportunities for quality job growth in the mining sector, leveraging available technologies to develop value-added activities such as mineral processing."