The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Tuesday reported a slight improvement in the country’s labor market in August 2025, with the unemployment rate easing to 3.9 percent from 4 percent in the same month last year.
The number of jobless Filipinos fell to 2.03 million from 2.07 million in August 2024, reflecting continued labor market recovery.
The total number of employed individuals rose to 50.1 million, up from 49.15 million a year earlier. The services sector remained the top employment driver, absorbing 61.5 percent of workers, followed by agriculture (20.4 percent) and industry (18.1 percent).
The labor force participation rate climbed to 65.1 percent from 64.8 percent, indicating increased engagement from Filipinos aged 15 and above in the job market. Average weekly working hours also ticked up to 41, compared to 40.7 last year, a sign of potentially improving labor productivity.
Economists note that while the marginal drop in the unemployment rate is positive, sustained gains in job quality and sectoral resilience will be key to supporting broader economic growth down the line.
