PH labor market stays resilient in April

The Philippine labor market continued to show resilience in April 2025, with 48.67 million Filipinos employed, reflecting a 95.9 percent employment rate, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday, June 6.

Despite a modest increase in the unemployment rate to 4.1 percent from 3.9 percent in March, government officials highlighted the strong overall labor performance and the economy’s ability to generate jobs across key sectors.

The country’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.7 percent, with 50.74 million Filipinos actively contributing to the workforce. Employed individuals worked an average of 39.9 hours per week, underscoring stable working conditions.

The services sector remained the country’s top job generator, accounting for 61.9 percent of total employment. The agriculture and industry sectors followed with 20.6 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively.

Significant employment gains were recorded in several subsectors. Administrative and support service activities added 394,000 jobs, public administration and defense gained 262,000, agriculture and forestry grew by 260,000, construction by 121,000, and education by 66,000.

While some industries, such as manufacturing and food services, posted job losses, officials noted these as areas for targeted improvement through upskilling and economic stimulus.

Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon emphasized the country's continued progress: “Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the Philippine labor market continues to demonstrate resilience amid global headwinds. We remain on track to meet our target unemployment range of 4.4 to 4.7 percent under the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.”

Labor Secretary Benny Laguesma also remained optimistic, pointing to the adaptability and potential of the Filipino workforce. “These numbers reaffirm the robustness of our labor market and highlight opportunities to further align education, training, and regional employment support,” he said.

Government initiatives continue to focus on reducing underemployment, which stood at 14.6 percent or 7.09 million individuals seeking additional hours or secondary jobs. Strategic reforms aim to bridge skills gaps, boost job quality, and ensure inclusive employment growth across all regions.