GENDER-BASED INDICATORS OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURE were noted in CAR at 451,000 males and 308,000 females. Half million females were employed in Cagayan Valley, MIMAROPA and Zambonga Peninsula (Tables 3.1a and 3.1b). Male employment rates were higher in ARMM at 97.6 percent and Cagayan Valley at 97.1 percent in 2015. For the females, ERs topped in MIMAROPA and SOCCSKSARGEN at 96.9 percent each, in Cagayan Valley at 96.5 percent and Zamboanga Peninsula at 96.3 percent. The lowest employment rates for males came from NCR at 90.4 percent and CALABARZON at 90.7 percent. Female ERs were least in Ilocos Region at 92.5 percent and Central Luzon at 92.6 percent (Tables 3.2a and 3.2b). Unemployment Unemployment by sex indicates the incapacity of the labor market to absorb the available males and females to contribute to production activities. In 2015, the country had 1.66 million males and 0.95 million females who were unemployed. Unemployment rates (URs) stood at 6.6 percent for males and 5.8 percent for females. Across regions, the biggest counts of unemployed males and females were found in NCR, Central Luzon and CALABARZON ranging from 225,000 to 296,000 males and 125,000 to 158,000 females. Male unemployment was also higher in Ilocos Region, Western and Central Visayas at 119,000 to 133,000 males. The least unemployed males were registered in CAR and ARMM at 22,000 males each. For the unemployed females, the least numbers were observed in CAR, MIMAROPA and Zamboanga Peninsula ranging from 16,000 to 19,000 females (Tables 4.1a and 4.1b). The regional unemployment rates for males were highest in NCR at 9.6 percent, CALABARZON at 9.2 percent and Ilocos Region at 9.0 percent. It was lowest in ARMM at 2.4 percent. For the females, URs were leading in Ilocos Region at 7.5 percent, Central Luzon at 7.4 percent and NCR at 7.0 percent. In contrast, MIMAROPA posted the lowest UR at 3.1 percent (Tables 4.2a and 4.2b). PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY 3