Jobs improve in April as 48.89 million Filipinos find work

Unemployment eases to 4.7% as labor force rises to 51.3 million, still below 2025 levels.

The Philippine labor market posted improvement in April, with 48.89 million Filipinos finding employment, slightly higher than January levels but still below the 48.67 million recorded in April 2025.

This translated to the unemployment rate easing to 4.7% from 5.8% in January, still above the 4.1% recorded in April 2025, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Both indicators point to an economy that added jobs over the month, though overall employment continues to trail last year’s level, when fewer Filipinos were without work and more were absorbed into stable positions.

Employment also picked up from the start of the year, as the employment rate rose to 95.3% from 94.2%, yet still falling short of the 95.9% posted a year earlier.

More Filipinos were also active in the labor market in April, adding both momentum and pressure to job creation.

The labor force participation rate rose to 67.2% from 62.3% in January and 63.7% a year earlier, according to the PSA. This brought the labor force to 51.3 million Filipinos, up from 50.89 million in January and 50.74 million in April 2025.

Employment reached 48.89 million Filipinos during the same period, reflecting a larger pool of jobseekers being absorbed into work as more people entered or returned to the labor market.

A bigger labor pool signals stronger workforce activity, while also increasing the demand for steady job creation that can keep pace with new entrants.

The data points to an economy gradually taking in more workers after a slower start to the year, while still operating below its previous level of job absorption.

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