The Philippine labor market held its ground in April, even as early signs of strain emerged beneath the surface. Unemployment inched up slightly to 4.1 percent, from 4.0 percent a year earlier, yet the economy still managed to add more jobs and keep employment rates above 95 percent—a level considered healthy by most standards.
The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed 48.7 million Filipinos were employed in April 2025, up from 48.4 million the previous year and 48.5 million in January. However, the labor force participation rate slipped to 63.7 percent, suggesting that fewer Filipinos were actively working or seeking work. It’s a small dip, but one that hints at a possible cooling in labor market enthusiasm or access.
Unemployment ticked up in absolute terms to 2.06 million, from 2.04 million in April last year. Still, the broader labor market showed resilience, with administrative support services, public administration, and agriculture posting job gains. But there were notable pain points, particularly in manufacturing, which shed a staggering 410,000 jobs year-on-year.
Economic Planning Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa attributed the sharp drop in factory jobs to weakened export demand, particularly in semiconductors, electronics, and garments. Mapa linked the job losses in manufacturing, especially in electronics, to the decline in export sales.
Meanwhile, underemployment—workers looking for more hours or better jobs—remained elevated at 14.6 percent. That means over 7 million Filipinos aren’t getting the work they need, and with average work hours slipping to 39.9 per week, labor intensity appears to be waning.
Wage and salary earners continued to dominate the employment base, accounting for 63.2 percent of all employed, most of them in private firms.
Overall, the jobs landscape remains steady, but the cracks—particularly in export-driven industries and underemployment—point to the need for more inclusive, value-adding job creation to keep Filipinos not just employed, but meaningfully and productively engaged.
