Child workers rise in 2025

The number of working children in the Philippines increased slightly in 2025, although it remained below the level recorded in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The PSA estimated that 868,540 children aged five to 17 were working in 2025, up from 861,450 in 2024 but lower than the 1.09 million logged in 2023. Working children accounted for 3.1% of the country’s child population, compared with 2.7% in 2024 and 3.5% in 2023.

Boys made up 61.6% of working children, while those aged 15 to 17 accounted for the largest share at 73.5%.

The services sector employed the biggest share of working children at 48.7%, followed by agriculture (41.2%) and industry (10.1%). 

Most worked 20 hours or less a week, although the proportion working 21 to 40 hours increased from a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the number of children engaged in child labor declined to 513,650 in 2025, or 59.1% of all working children, lower than the 62% recorded in 2023. Agriculture remained the largest employer of child laborers, accounting for 65.5% of the total, followed by services and industry. ROMEO SUALIBIOS