THE country’s unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in November 2025 from 3.2 percent a year earlier, reflecting softer labor market conditions amid uneven sectoral recovery, even as joblessness eased from the previous month, official data showed.
Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, showed the number of unemployed Filipinos increased to 2.25 million in November, up sharply from 1.66 million in November 2024. Month on month, however, unemployment fell from 2.54 million in October, when the jobless rate stood at five percent.
The labor force expanded to 51.52 million people aged 15 and over, higher than both a year earlier and the previous month, indicating more Filipinos were either working or actively seeking jobs. The labor force participation rate stood at 64 percent, lower than 64.6 percent a year earlier but higher than October’s 63.6 percent.
Employment totaled 49.26 million in November, down slightly from 49.54 million a year earlier but recovering from 48.62 million in October. This translated to an employment rate of 95.6 percent, below last year’s 96.8 percent but an improvement from 95 percent in the prior month.
Analysts said the year-on-year increase in unemployment suggests that job creation has not kept pace with labor force growth, particularly in consumer-facing and manufacturing sectors. Accommodation and food service activities, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing recorded the largest annual job losses, pointing to lingering weakness in tourism-related and goods-producing industries.
By contrast, employment gains were recorded in public administration, education, construction, and information and communication, indicating continued hiring linked to government services, infrastructure activity, and digital-related roles.
Underemployment also declined, offering some relief to households. The underemployment rate fell to 10.4 percent in November from 10.8 percent a year earlier and 12 percent in October, with about 5.11 million employed Filipinos seeking additional hours or work.
Youth participation weakened, with the labor force participation rate for those aged 15 to 24 dropping to 88.3 percent from 90.6 percent a year earlier, highlighting ongoing challenges for younger workers entering or staying in the labor market. / KOC