PH Labor Force Participation Rate Slightly Declines in September 2025
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on November 6, 2025, that the country’s labor force slightly decreased in September 2025. The workforce consisted of 51.56 million Filipinos aged 15 and above, down from 51.77 million in September 2024 and 52.13 million in August 2025.
This labor force represents 64.5 percent of the nation’s total population.
Employment and Unemployment Rates
Out of the 51.56 million workers, 49.60 million (96.2%) were employed while 1.96 million (3.8%) were unemployed. The unemployment rate dropped slightly from 3.9 percent in August 2025 but was a bit higher than the 3.7 percent recorded in September 2024. The employment rate rose marginally compared to August’s 96.1 percent but was lower than the 96.3 percent a year earlier.
Among those employed, 11.1 percent wanted more hours at their current job, additional jobs, or employment with longer hours.
Employment by Sector
- Services sector: 61.3% of total employment
- Agriculture: 20.9%
- Industry: 17.8%
The top five sub-sectors with the largest employment growth in September 2025 included accommodation and food service activities.
The PSA stated, "A total of 51.56 million Filipinos aged 15 and older were part of the labor force as of September 2025, lower than the 51.77 million recorded in the same month last year."
Labor market conditions show slight shifts but remain relatively stable compared to the previous year.