Philippine unemployment rate rises to 4.1% in April

June 15 ------ The country’s unemployment and underemployment rates marginally increased in April this year, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). According to the latest Labor Force Survey, the national unemployment rate increased to 4.1 percent in April, up from 3.9 percent in March and 3.8 percent in February. The April jobless rate, however, remained lower than the 4.3 percent recorded in January.

The PSA noted that the number of unemployed workers in April reached 2.06 million, an increase from 1.93 million in March and 1.94 million in February. The underemployment rate also climbed to 14.6 percent in April, higher than the 13.4 percent in March and 10.1 percent in February, and also surpassed the 13.3 percent seen in January. The PSA defines underemployed workers as those who are already employed but are seeking additional jobs or more work-hours.

In April 2025, 7.09 million of the 48.67 million employed individuals expressed a desire for additional work hours in their current job, an additional job, or a new job with longer hours. PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Dennis Mapa noted that despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the number of employed individuals in April was still higher by 317,000 compared to January, attributing this to a higher number of people joining the workforce during the period. Meanwhile, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon said that despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the Philippine labor market continues to demonstrate resilience amid global headwinds.

She added that the government remains on track to meet its target unemployment range of 4.4 percent to 4.7 percent set under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. Job growth was sustained in key sectors, with the services sector employing 30.14 million individuals, up from 29.72 million in April 2024, and the agriculture sector seeing an increase to 10.02 million from 9.8 million. Edillon added that the government is also optimistic about further improving the labor force with the rollout of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan and the influx of new investments.

She enumerated government initiatives such as the enhancement of the Technical, Vocational and Livelihood track in Senior High School, the Government Internship Program for new graduates, and various skills training programs. Edillon noted that leveraging the role of the private sector in training and skills development allows the workforce to benefit from industry expertise. She explained that under the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework, the government, in partnership with the private sector, will co-develop programs focusing on digital, technical, and soft skills.

To ensure workers remain agile, Edillon said that the development and promotion of a national policy for lifelong learning must be prioritized, with the effective implementation of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program supporting lifelong learning by recognizing prior learning and work experience. Edillon added that the government will continue promoting measures to improve the productivity of domestic industries, particularly those that generate higher-quality jobs, to enhance the resilience of the labor market amid external uncertainties.

She said that attracting more investments to generate higher-quality and better-paying jobs, particularly in manufacturing and higher-value-added services, and expanding into new markets is essential to broadening the economy and opening up more job opportunities. In line with this, the newly created Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council will proactively assist local firms in expanding their product mix and upgrading technological capacity.

Source: mb.com.ph