This as Baldoz welcomes the results of the National Statistics Office's Labor Force Survey (LFS) which indicates continuing growth in employment.

The April 2012 survey showed there were 37.8 million employed in April 2012 compared to 36.8 million in the same period last year.

Baldoz cited the fact that the LFS survey results is the fifth quarter in a row that the employment situation has improved.

"Since the first quarter of 2011, overall employment continues to grow. In the second quarter this year, the expansion is 2.8 percent year-on-year and this is truly good news," she said.

She also said that the rousing first quarter performance of the economy, as indicated by the 6.4 Gross Domestic Product growth, could translate to more jobs.

The survey showed that employment growth occurred in three sectors: industry, which expanded by 5.2 percent; services, 2.2. percent; and agriculture, fishery, and forestry, which grew by 2.6 percent.

Baldoz vowed to intensify the department's efforts in ensuring effective implementation of its job facilitation programs.

Baldoz, however, admitted that the problem of underemployment remains a serious challenge.

While there is a marginal decrease in percentage, from 19.4 percent in April 2011 to 19.3 percent in April 2012, the numbers showed that underemployed persons increased by 185,000 to 7.31 million.

"This means that majority of those who found part-time employment during the quarter did not express the desire for additional hours of work," Baldoz said. (PNA)

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