THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Sunday, March 15, 2026, shrugged off the increase in unemployment in the country, saying it is a normal scenario after the holiday season.
In a statement, the DOLE described the increase in the number of jobless Filipinos as merely being part of the "seasonal normalization" of the labor market after the holiday season.
"This reflects the seasonal normalization of labor market conditions following heightened economic activity during the holiday period," said DOLE.
The agency said many workers transitioned out of temporary employment arrangements when holiday-related jobs ended.
DOLE also said the increase in the underemployment rate is also related to the post-holiday season activities.
"The increase reflects the reduction in working hours following the peak retail and tourism season," it said.
DOLE noted how many workers have returned to part-time or intermittent employment arrangements while seeking additional or more stable sources of income.
Not to be appeased, however, is the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro), which sounded the alarm over the rising number of unemployed Filipinos.
"The latest data from the Labor Force Survey paints a bleak picture of the Philippine labor market. Unemployment is rising again, with the jobless rate climbing," said Sentro in a separate statement.
According to the latest LFS, the January 2026 unemployment rate of 5.8 percent is higher than the 4.3 percent from January 2025 and 4.4 percent from December 2025. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)