MANILA – The growing number of Filipinos joining the labor force should be matched with more stable and quality employment opportunities, Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development chairperson Senator Joel Villanueva said Friday.
Villanueva said the latest Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) labor force figures reinforce the need to accelerate the implementation of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) plan, the country's long-term strategy for employment generation.
“The latest PSA figures remind us that Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) plan must be implemented with greater urgency,” he said in a statement.
PSA data showed the country's labor force expanded to 53.25 million in June from 51.58 million a year earlier, while the labor force participation rate stood at 65.1 percent.
The number of employed Filipinos likewise reached 50.66 million, higher than the 50.47 million recorded in June 2025 and 49.63 million in May this year.
Villanueva, principal author and sponsor of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act in the Senate, said the law is intended to ensure that Filipinos have access not merely to available jobs but to stable, decent, and quality employment capable of supporting their families.
He also pointed to the need to address employment shifts in key industries, noting that wholesale and retail trade recorded a year-on-year decline of 903,000 workers, while fishing and aquaculture shed 467,000.
On the other hand, agriculture and forestry added 453,000 workers from May to June, according to PSA data.
Villanueva said greater attention should also be given to young Filipinos entering the workforce, as youth labor force participation increased from 33.1 percent in June 2025 to 33.7 percent this year.
He urged the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development to accelerate the rollout of the TPB plan nationwide and strengthen coordination with the departments of labor, trade and industry, and agriculture, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and other agencies.
“The sectors that are losing jobs today need immediate attention so that more Filipinos can find decent work, earn a living wage, and provide a better future for their families,” Villanueva said.
The TPB Act, or Republic Act 11962, establishes the country's master plan for employment generation and recovery and seeks to promote job security, competitiveness, and protection for Filipino workers.
The PSA reported that the unemployment rate stood at 4.9 percent in June, equivalent to 2.59 million Filipinos, compared with 3.7 percent, or 1.95 million, in June last year. (PNA)
