THE Philippines’ unemployment rate rose to 5.8 percent in January 2026, up from 4.3 percent in January 2025 and five percent in October 2025, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The higher jobless rate translated to 2.96 million unemployed Filipinos, compared with 2.17 million a year earlier and 2.54 million in October 2025.
The labor force participation rate fell to 62.3 percent, equivalent to 50.89 million Filipinos aged 15 and above either working or seeking work.
The employment rate declined to 94.2 percent, with the number of employed dropping to 47.94 million from 48.49 million in January 2025.
The services sector remained the largest employer, accounting for 63.6 percent of jobs, followed by industry (18.3 percent) and agriculture (18.1 percent).
Underemployment stood at 13.2 percent, affecting 6.35 million workers seeking additional hours or jobs. Youth labor participation also weakened, with the share of young Filipinos not in education, employment or training rising to 14 percent from 11.7 percent a year earlier. / KOC