Philippine jobless rate rises to 4.7% in April, underemployment hits near 3-year high

The Philippine jobless rate rose to 4.7% in April from a year earlier, while underemployment climbed to a nearly three-year high of 15.2%, signaling continued weakness in the labor market.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the jobless rate stood at 4.7% in April, higher than the 4.1% in the same month last year.

PSA data showed that the jobless rate stood at 4.7% in April, higher than the 4.1% in the same month last year.

However, the unemployment rate eased from 5% in March.

The number of unemployed Filipinos was estimated at 2.41 million in April, 351,000 higher than the 2.06 million recorded a year ago.

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa noted that the year-on-year rise in unemployment was driven largely by job seekers in the 25-34 and 15-24 age groups.

“The reason for the year-on-year increase in the unemployed is that they were truly looking for work but could not find any; this accounted for about 276,000 individuals,” Mr. Mapa said told a news briefing in Filipino, adding that many were also waiting for results from job applications.

Meanwhile, rising underemployment emerged as a growing concern, with the rate climbing to 15.2% in April 2026, up from 14.6% year-on-year and higher than the 12.3% recorded in March 2026.

Mr. Mapa said the underemployment rate of 15.2% was the highest since July 2023.

The ranks of underemployed Filipinos — those who want longer work hours or an additional job – increased to 7.41 million in April, from the 7.081 million in the same month a year ago and from 6.031 million in March.

Mr. Mapa pointed to the transportation and storage sector as a major contributor to this trend, specifically among jeepney, taxi, and bus drivers.

“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,” he said, linking the shift to higher costs such as fuel.

In a statement, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said that the government is working to broaden market access and attract investments in emerging industries.

“The latest labor market indicators reflect both the challenges confronting the economy and the resilience of Filipino workers and businesses,” he said

“The government is strengthening partnerships with the private sector to expand apprenticeship opportunities, improve certification systems, and support worker mobility toward high-value industries such as advanced electronics, renewable energy, and digital services,” Mr. Balisacan said. – Erika Mae P. Sinaking