THE country’s unemployment rate climbed to five percent in October 2025, up from 3.9 percent a year earlier, as more Filipinos entered the labor market despite a slight improvement from July’s 5.3 percent, government data showed on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025.
The number of jobless Filipinos rose to 2.54 million, from 1.97 million in October 2024, even as overall labor demand marginally improved. Employment reached 48.62 million, up from 48.16 million a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
The labor force participation rate increased to 63.6 percent, or 51.16 million people aged 15 and above — higher than both October 2024’s 63.3 percent and July 2025’s 60.7 percent, signaling stronger job-seeking activity amid economic uncertainty.
The employment rate slipped to 95 percent, from 96.1 percent a year earlier.
The services sector remained the largest employer, accounting for 60.6 percent of total jobs, followed by agriculture at 21.5 percent and industry at 17.9 percent. Wholesale and retail trade (20 percent), agriculture and forestry (19 percent) and construction (9.7 percent) remained the biggest subsectors.
Public administration and defense recorded the largest annual job gains at 257,000, followed by accommodation and food services (180,000), agriculture and forestry (168,000), manufacturing (152,000) and fishing (88,000).
In contrast, other service activities suffered the steepest employment loss, shedding 520,000 jobs.
Wage and salary workers made up 64.2 percent of all employed persons, with private establishments accounting for 80 percent of these jobs.
Average weekly hours worked rose slightly to 41.3 hours.
SOCCSKSARGEN posted the highest employment rate at 96.8 percent, while Calabarzon had the lowest at 93.6 percent and the highest unemployment rate at 6.4 percent. Six regions recorded jobless rates above the national average.
The underemployment rate improved to 12 percent, from 12.6 percent a year ago, with 5.81 million employed Filipinos seeking more hours or another job.
Youth labor force participation inched up to 31.4 percent, though the youth employment rate fell to 85.9 percent, while the proportion of youth not in education, employment or training rose to 13 percent. / KOC