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. source: Philippine Statistics Authority
Unemployment Rate in Philippines increased to 5.80 percent in January from 4.40 percent in December of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Philippines averaged 7.49 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 March of 2026.
Unemployment Rate in Philippines increased to 5.80 percent in January from 4.40 percent in December of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Philippines is expected to be 4.30 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.