The unemployment rate in the Philippines edged down to 5% in March 2026, the lowest level in three months, from 5.1% February. The number of unemployed persons decreased to 2.58 million from 2.66 million in the previous month. Meanwhile, the employment rate inched up to 95% from 94.9%, with total employment reaching 49.07 million. The labor force participation rate fell to 63.3% from 63.8% in February but was still higher than the 62.9% recorded in March 2025. The services sector accounted for the largest share of employment at 63.0%, followed by agriculture (19.1%) and industry (17.9%). The sub-sectors with the highest employment were wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (20.2%), agriculture and forestry (17.1%), and construction (9.6%). Wage and salary workers comprised 63.7% of the workforce, most of whom were employed in private establishments. The average weekly hours worked were 40.7 hours. In March 2025, the jobless rate was lower at 3.9%. source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Unemployment Rate in Philippines decreased to 5 percent in March from 5.10 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Philippines averaged 7.47 percent from 1986 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 17.60 percent in April of 2020 and a record low of 3.10 percent in December of 2023. This page provides - Philippines Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Philippines Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Philippines decreased to 5 percent in March from 5.10 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Philippines is expected to be 3.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Philippines Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 4.00 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-08 01:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Feb 5.1% 5.8% 5.5%
2026-05-06 01:05 AM
Unemployment Rate
Mar 5% 5.1% 4.3%
2026-06-09 01:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 5%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 49069.00 49425.92 Thousand Mar 2026
Employment Rate 95.00 94.90 percent Mar 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 63.30 63.80 percent Mar 2026
Unemployed Persons 2576.79 2660.66 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 5.00 5.10 percent Mar 2026


Philippines Unemployment Rate
In the Philippines, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5.00 5.10 17.60 3.10 1986 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Philippines Jobless Rate Ticks Down to 5%
The unemployment rate in the Philippines edged down to 5% in March 2026, the lowest level in three months, from 5.1% February. The number of unemployed persons decreased to 2.58 million from 2.66 million in the previous month. Meanwhile, the employment rate inched up to 95% from 94.9%, with total employment reaching 49.07 million. The labor force participation rate fell to 63.3% from 63.8% in February but was still higher than the 62.9% recorded in March 2025. The services sector accounted for the largest share of employment at 63.0%, followed by agriculture (19.1%) and industry (17.9%). The sub-sectors with the highest employment were wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (20.2%), agriculture and forestry (17.1%), and construction (9.6%). Wage and salary workers comprised 63.7% of the workforce, most of whom were employed in private establishments. The average weekly hours worked were 40.7 hours. In March 2025, the jobless rate was lower at 3.9%.
2026-05-06
Philippines Jobless Rate Falls to 5.1%
The unemployment rate in the Philippines fell to 5.1% in February 2026 from an over three-year high of 5.8% in January. The number of unemployed persons dropped to 2.66 million from 2.96 million in January, while total employment rose to 49.43 million, up from 47.94 million the previous month. The labor force participation rate stood at 63.8%, slightly lower than 64.5% in February 2025 but higher than 62.3% in January 2026. Services remained the largest sector, accounting for 63.5% of employment, followed by agriculture at 18.8% and industry at 17.7%. Top sub-sectors by employment were wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, agriculture and forestry, and construction. Wage and salary workers made up 63.8% of the workforce, mostly in private establishments. Average weekly hours worked were 40.9. Compared with February 2025, the jobless  rate remained significantly higher, when it stood at 3.8%.
2026-04-08
Philippines Jobless Rate Highest Since Mid 2022
The unemployment rate in the Philippines climbed to 5.8% in January 2026, marking the highest reading since June 2022, up from 4.4% in the previous month. The number of unemployed persons jumped to an over four-year high of 2.96 million from 2.26 million in December and 2.17 million a year earlier. Meanwhile, total employment declined to 47.94 million from 49.43 million in December and 48.49 million in January 2025. Among major sectors, services continued to dominate employment at 63.6% of total workers, followed by industry and agriculture at 18.3% and 18.1%, respectively. Within services, the top three with the highest employment were wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, agriculture and forestry, and construction. The labor force participation rate also fell to 62.3% from 64.4% in December and 63.9% a year ago.
2026-03-13