More Pinoys land jobs as Phl employment rate climbs to 96.3%

More Filipinos are landing jobs as the country’s labor market continues to show strong momentum, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma last week welcomed the latest Labor Force Survey results from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which showed the employment rate rising to 96.3 percent in June, up from 96.1 percent in May. 

The improvement means an estimated 185,000 more individuals found work within just one month.

“This indicates that more and more Filipinos are actively searching—and succeeding—in finding employment opportunities,” Laguesma said.

He said the uptick was driven by continued growth in key industries such as wholesale and retail trade, fishing and aquaculture, and construction.

Unemployment also dropped, with the number of jobless Filipinos decreasing from 2.03 million in May to 1.95 million in June. This brought the country’s unemployment rate down from 3.9 percent to 3.7 percent.

There was also a significant decline in underemployment, or the number of workers seeking additional hours or jobs. From 6.6 million in May, underemployment went down to 5.76 million in June. 

This shift was largely due to an increase of 1.72 million full-time workers and a reduction of 878,000 in part-time jobs.

To maintain this positive trend, DOLE is intensifying programs to improve employability and job matching, especially for the youth and vulnerable groups. 

Among its key efforts is the enhancement of the PhilJobNet online portal, which provides real-time, verified job listings to help connect jobseekers with employers.

Laguesma said DOLE is also working closely with Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), national agencies, local government units, private sector groups, and social partners to bring job fairs and employment services to more areas across the country under the Trabaho sa Bagong Pilipinas initiative.

These actions support President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call in his recent State of the Nation Address to create decent, sustainable jobs as a shield against poverty and hunger.

Following the President’s directive, DOLE is partnering with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Tourism, and other agencies to help the remaining 4 percent of the labor force still without jobs.

Laguesma added that programs such as the Special Program for the Employment of Students, Government Internship Program, and JobStart Philippines are being scaled up to assist young people and first-time jobseekers.

“Our goal is clear: make jobs accessible, decent, and future-ready for all Filipinos,” he said.