Workers at the Subic Bay have reached 171,653 in 2025, a 4.4 percent increase from the 164,400 workers recorded in 2024, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said.
Subic officials said this reflects the hiring of workers by companies operating within the Freeport, which now hosts 4,744 firms.
Data from the SBMA Labor Department showed that the services sector remains the largest employer, accounting for 67.32 percent of total employment.
Manufacturing comprises 21.67 percent, followed by construction at 7.36 percent and shipbuilding and marine-related services at 3.64 percent.
In terms of company distribution, the services sector has 4,129 firms. It was followed by construction with 356, shipbuilding and marine-related services with 148, and manufacturing with 111.
Olongapo City remains the largest source of workers, with 70,769 residents employed in the Freeport.
The city is followed by Zambales with 31,621; Bataan with 22,897; National Capital Region with 7,077; Pampanga with 5,492; and Tarlac with 2,199.
Another 31,598 workers come from other areas, including foreign nationals.
Of the total workforce, 121,187 (70.60%) are male, while 50,466 (29.40%) are female.
In the manufacturing sector alone, female workers slightly outnumbered male workers, with 18,951 females and 18,242 males across 111 firms.
The SBMA said the employment growth is in line with efforts to give more job opportunities to Filipinos.