BY: JOSE ROBERT INVENTOR
The number of employed Filipinos rose to 49.16 million in February 2025, according to the latest Labor Force Survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Among them is Michelle Santiago, who sells native snacks in the morning and works at a salon in the afternoon.
While her earnings from selling snacks are modest, she makes up for it through hairdressing. “Sometimes I wake up early to sell breakfast goods. When I go early, I sell out faster. I just continue tracking everything,” she said.
Data from the PSA showed that the country’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.3% in January—equivalent to 2.16 million jobless Filipinos—to 3.85% in February, or around 1.94 million individuals.
The number of underemployed individuals, or those looking for additional work, also declined from 6.47 million or 13.3% in January to 4.96 million or 10.1% in February.
PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa noted the improvement in labor force participation, which contributed to the employment growth. “More people participated in the labor force. Although not all were absorbed into jobs, the rate increased due to the growing participation,” he said.
The government says it continues to implement programs to further improve the country’s employment rate, and ensure fair wages and sufficient benefits for Filipino workers.
