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Advocates Philippines
More Filipinos Found Jobs In August As Unemployment Dips To 3.9%
Photo credit: DOLE
Good news for Filipino workers. The number of employed Filipinos rose in August 2025, thanks to the government’s push for stronger job creation.
According to the latest Labor Force Survey, around 50.1 million Filipinos were employed in August — a big jump from 46.05 million the previous month. That translates to an employment rate of 96.1%, with most workers in the services sector (61.5%), followed by agriculture (20.4%) and industry (18.1%).
Unemployment also improved, dropping to 3.9% or about 2.03 million Filipinos without work, compared to 5.3% in July. Meanwhile, underemployment — those who have jobs but still want more hours or better opportunities — also fell to 10.7%, down from 14.8% the month before.
“Not Just Jobs, But Quality Jobs”
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan welcomed the gains, saying they reflect the government’s commitment to making sure more Filipinos benefit from growth.
“These positive labor market indicators show our collective effort to sustain economic growth while ensuring more Filipinos benefit from it,” Balisacan said. “We are working to generate not just jobs, but quality jobs that will raise incomes, reduce underemployment, and improve overall well-being.”
The Road Ahead: Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan
Balisacan said the government will build on these gains through the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025-2034, which aims to:
• Create better-quality, higher-paying jobs
• Strengthen school-to-work transitions
• Equip young Filipinos with future-ready skills
• Support vulnerable workers in sectors like retail trade and agriculture
• Ramp up investments in digitalization, logistics, and climate-resilient infrastructure
He stressed that as industries evolve, workers must be equipped with the skills needed for new and emerging sectors so that “no Filipino is left behind in our country’s development journey.”
According to the latest Labor Force Survey, around 50.1 million Filipinos were employed in August — a big jump from 46.05 million the previous month. That translates to an employment rate of 96.1%, with most workers in the services sector (61.5%), followed by agriculture (20.4%) and industry (18.1%).
Unemployment also improved, dropping to 3.9% or about 2.03 million Filipinos without work, compared to 5.3% in July. Meanwhile, underemployment — those who have jobs but still want more hours or better opportunities — also fell to 10.7%, down from 14.8% the month before.
“Not Just Jobs, But Quality Jobs”
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan welcomed the gains, saying they reflect the government’s commitment to making sure more Filipinos benefit from growth.
“These positive labor market indicators show our collective effort to sustain economic growth while ensuring more Filipinos benefit from it,” Balisacan said. “We are working to generate not just jobs, but quality jobs that will raise incomes, reduce underemployment, and improve overall well-being.”
The Road Ahead: Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan
Balisacan said the government will build on these gains through the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025-2034, which aims to:
• Create better-quality, higher-paying jobs
• Strengthen school-to-work transitions
• Equip young Filipinos with future-ready skills
• Support vulnerable workers in sectors like retail trade and agriculture
• Ramp up investments in digitalization, logistics, and climate-resilient infrastructure
He stressed that as industries evolve, workers must be equipped with the skills needed for new and emerging sectors so that “no Filipino is left behind in our country’s development journey.”
Oct 8, 2025
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