PH jobless rate rises to 4.7%; underemployment reaches near 3-year high 

The Philippine unemployment rate rose to 4.7% in April 2026, while underemployment reached 15.2%, according to the latest Labor Force Survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on June 9, highlighting continuing challenges in the country’s labor market. 

PSA reported that the unemployment rate increased from 4.1% in April 2025 to 4.7% in April 2026, equivalent to 2.41 million unemployed Filipinos. 

The agency noted that the figure, although lower than the 5% recorded in March 2026, remained higher than the level posted a year earlier. 

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said the increase in unemployment was primarily driven by individuals aged 15 to 24 and 25 to 34 who actively searched for work but failed to secure employment. 

“The reason for the year-on-year increase in the unemployed is that they were truly looking for work but could not find any,” Mapa said during a news briefing. 

Mapa added that many job seekers were also waiting for the results of their employment applications.m

PSA reported that the underemployment rate climbed to 15.2% in April 2026 from 14.6% in the same period last year. 

The number of underemployed Filipinos increased to 7.41 million from 7.08 million in April 2025. 

Mapa said the April 2026 underemployment rate was the highest recorded since July 2023. 

He explained that workers in the transportation and storage sector significantly contributed to the rise in underemployment. 

“While in a way, the status of being employed was not necessarily affected in terms of hours and income, that was what was affected as reflected by the underemployment numbers in transportation and storage,” Mapa said. 

He linked the trend to rising operational costs, particularly fuel expenses faced by jeepney, taxi, and bus drivers. 

Despite the increase in unemployment, the number of employed Filipinos rose to 48.89 million in April 2026 from 48.67 million a year earlier. 

The employment rate, however, declined to 95.3% from 95.9% during the same period. 

The labor force participation rate also decreased to 62.7% from 63.7% in April 2025. 

Data showed that the services sector remained the country’s largest source of employment with a 62.3% share of total employed persons. 

The agriculture sector accounted for 19.4% of total employment, while the industry sector contributed 18.3%. 

Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the government continued efforts to strengthen employment opportunities and improve workforce competitiveness. 

“The latest labor market indicators reflect both the challenges confronting the economy and the resilience of Filipino workers and businesses,” Balisacan said in a statement. 

Balisacan sector to expand apprenticeship programs, improve certification systems, and support worker mobility toward high-value industries. 

PSA  also reported that the proportion of youth not in education, employment, and training increased to 12.2% in April 2026 from 10.6% a year earlier. 

The April 2026 Labor Force Survey showed that unemployment and underemployment remained key labor market concerns despite gains in overall employment, reflecting ongoing challenges in providing stable and sufficient work opportunities for Filipinos.