The number of jobless Filipinos rose to 2.54 million in October 2025 from 1.96 million in September, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. The unemployment rate climbed to 5 percent from 3.8 percent.
On December 10, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released data showing a rise in unemployment in the Philippines for October 2025. The employment rate fell to 95 percent from 96.2 percent the previous month, meaning 48.62 million Filipinos were employed, compared to 49.60 million in September. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate dropped to 11.1 percent from 12.0 percent, indicating fewer Filipinos needing additional work hours or secondary jobs. Workers averaged 41.4 hours per week.
By sector, 60.6 percent of employed persons were in services, followed by agriculture at 21.3 percent and industry at 17.9 percent. Subsectors with the highest employment included wholesale and retail trade (20.0 percent), agriculture and forestry (19.0 percent), and construction (9.7 percent).
Year-on-year, employee numbers increased in public administration and defense (257,000), accommodation and food service (180,000), agriculture and forestry (168,000), manufacturing (152,000), and fishing and aquaculture (88,000). However, declines occurred in other service activities (520,000), wholesale and retail trade (66,000), professional, scientific and technical activities (47,000), mining and quarrying (33,000), and water supply and sewerage (21,000).
In terms of worker class, 64.2 percent were wage and salary workers, 27.5 percent self-employed without employees, 6.3 percent unpaid family workers, and 2.0 percent employers in family businesses.