Jobless Filipinos Reach 2.06M in April 2025 Amid Growing Labor Force – PSA

The number of unemployed Filipinos climbed to 2.06 million in April 2025, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), as more people entered the labor market but not all were absorbed into employment.

PSA Chief Claire Dennis Mapa reported that the unemployment rate rose to 4.1%, slightly up from 3.9% in March. Year-on-year, the number of jobless individuals increased by 23,000 from April 2024’s 2.04 million.

The labor force expanded to 50.74 million in April, with 340,000 more participants than last year. Of that increase, 317,000 found jobs, while 23,000 remained unemployed.

Despite the uptick in joblessness, the number of employed individuals grew to 48.67 million, marking a monthly increase of 650,000. The employment rate stood at 95.9%.

Key employment growth was seen in administrative and support services (+394,000), public administration (+262,000), and agriculture (+260,000). Conversely, manufacturing saw the biggest decline, losing 410,000 jobs.

The services sector remained dominant, accounting for 61.9% of all employed persons, followed by agriculture (20.6%) and industry (17.5%).

Wage and salary workers made up the majority (63.2%), mostly employed in private establishments (78.1% of wage earners).

However, underemployment—workers seeking additional hours or better jobs—increased to 7.09 million, up from 6.44 million in March.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and DEPDev Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding high-quality employment through the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan, investment in emerging industries, and lifelong learning initiatives.

Programs such as improved vocational training, internships, and industry-aligned upskilling efforts are part of the broader strategy to enhance workforce resilience and attract investment in manufacturing and high-value services.