In 2024, the labor force participation rate in the Philippines was **** percent. The labor force participation rate in the country has been fluctuating over the past decade, with its lowest figure recorded in 2020. Labor force situation in the Philippines  The labor force participation rate refers to the share of the population currently employed or actively seeking employment. As a country with a predominantly young population, the labor market in the Philippines is robust, with a workforce that could drive economic growth. In 2023, the working-age population in the Philippines was estimated to have surpassed ** million people, reflecting constant growth in recent years. Across gender, the labor force participation of women was significantly lower than for men. COVID-impact on employment  The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 resulted in significant job losses in the Philippines as long periods of lockdown shuttered the economy. A survey in April 2021 reflected that around ** percent of public transportation drivers lost their jobs due to the pandemic. In addition, ** percent of workers in formal and informal services also experienced job losses. As a result, the unemployment rate reflected a slight increase during this period, although it was still lower than the rate of unemployment recorded in 2006.

Labor Force Participation Rate in Philippines decreased to 64.50 percent in September from 65.10 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides - Philippines Labor Force Participation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Philippines Labor Force: National Capital Region (NCR) data was reported at 5,538.000 Person th in Jul 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,463.000 Person th for Apr 2018. Philippines Labor Force: National Capital Region (NCR) data is updated quarterly, averaging 5,034.000 Person th from Jul 2004 (Median) to Jul 2018, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,676.000 Person th in Oct 2017 and a record low of 4,537.000 Person th in Apr 2006. Philippines Labor Force: National Capital Region (NCR) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Philippine Statistics Authority. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Philippines – Table PH.G008: Labour Force Survey: Labour Force.

Employment Rate in Philippines increased to 96.20 percent in September from 96.10 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides - Philippines Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Philippines Labor Force: Region VII: Central Visayas data was reported at 3,253.000 Person th in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,334.000 Person th for Jan 2018. Philippines Labor Force: Region VII: Central Visayas data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,106.000 Person th from Jul 2004 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,512.000 Person th in Oct 2016 and a record low of 2,509.000 Person th in Apr 2005. Philippines Labor Force: Region VII: Central Visayas data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Philippine Statistics Authority. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Philippines – Table PH.G005: Labour Force Survey: Labour Force.

In 2024, the male labor force participation rate in the Philippines was estimated at 72 percent. The labor participation rate of men in the country fluctuated since 2012, with its biggest drop recorded in 2020.

Abstract

The Labor Force Survey (LFS) aims to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market.

Specifically, the survey is designed to provide statistics on levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment for the country as a whole, and for each of the administrative regions.

Importance of the Labor Force Survey:

a. It provides a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market towards 1) creation and generation of gainful employment and livelihood opportunities 2) reduction of unemployment and promotion of employment 3) improvement of working conditions 4) enhancement of the welfare of a working person b. It provides statistics on levels and trends of employment and unemployment and underemployment for the country and regions; c. It is used for the projection of future manpower, which when compared with the future manpower requirements, will help identify employment and training needs; d. It helps in the assessment of the potential human resource available for economic development; and e. It identifies the differences in employment, unemployment, and underemployment according to the different economic, social and ethnic groups existing within the population.

Geographic coverage

The geographic coverage consists of the country's 16 administrative regions. The 16 regions are:

Region I - Ilocos,
Region II - Cagayan Valley, Region III - Central Luzon, Region IV - Southern Tagalog,
Region V - Bicol,
Region VI - Western Visayas,
Region VII - Central Visayas,
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas,
Region IX - Western Mindanao,
Region X - Northern Mindanao,
Region XI - Southern Mindanao,
Region XII - Central Mindanao,
Region XIII - National Capital Region (NCR),
Region XIV - Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR),
Region XV - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Region XVI - Caraga.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The LFS has as its target population, all household members of the sample housing units nationwide. A household is defined as an aggregate of persons, generally but not necessarily bound by ties of kinship, who live together under the same roof and eat together or share in common the household food. Household membership comprises the head of the household, relatives living with him such as his or her spouse, children, parent, brother or sister, son-in-law or daughter-in-law, grandson or granddaughter, and other relatives. Household membership likewise includes boarders, domestic helpers and non-relatives. A person who lives alone is considered a separate household.

Persons who reside in the institutions are not within the scope of the survey.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

ISH FORM 2 (LFS questionnaire) is a four-page, forty four-column questionnaire that is being used in the quarterly rounds of the Labor Force Survey nationwide. This questionnaire gathers data on the demographic and economic characteristics of the population.

On the first page of the questionnaire, the particulars about the geographic location, design codes and household auxiliary information of the sample household that is being interviewed are to be recorded. Certifications by the enumerator and his supervisor regarding the manner by which the data are collected are likewise to be made on this page.

The inside pages of the questionnaire contain the items to be determined about each member of the sample household. Columns 2 to 11 are for the demographic characteristics; columns 2 to 7A are to be ascertained of all members of the household regardless of age. Columns 8 to 9 are asked for members 5 years old and over, while column 10 is asked for members 5 to 24 years old, column 11, for 15 years old and over, while columns 12 to 16 are asked for members 5 years old and over. Items 18 to 44 on the other hand, are the series of items that will be asked of all the members 15 years old and over to determine their labor force and employment characteristics.

Most of the questions have pre-coded responses. The possible answers with their corresponding codes are printed at the bottom of the page for easy reference. Only the appropriate codes need to be entered in the cells.

Other items, however, require write-in entries such as column 14 (primary occupation) and column 16 (kind of business/industry), etc. For such items, it is required that the enumerator describes the primary occupation or kind of business/industry.

Cleaning operations

Data processing involves two stages: manual processing and machine processing.

Manual processing is done at the provincial offices. This is the general review of the questionnaires. This process includes the folioing of the questionnaires, completeness and consistency checking of the responses, editing and coding of responses. This is done prior to machine processing. The average output per day is 50 questionnaires.

Actual value and historical data chart for Philippines Labor Force Total

The labor force participation rate of women in the Philippines amounted to ***** percent in 2024. Between 1990 and 2024, the rate rose by **** percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Abstract

The Labor Force Survey (LFS) aims to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market. Specifically, the survey is designed to provide statistics on levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment for the country, as a whole, and for each of the administrative regions, including provinces and key cities.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

Individuals 15 years and over.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling design of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) uses the sampling design of the 2003 Master Sample (MS) for Household Surveys that started July 2003.

Sampling Frame

As in most household surveys, the 2003 MS used an area sample design. The Enumeration Area Reference File (EARF) of the 2000 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) was utilized as sampling frame. The EARF contains the number of households by enumeration area (EA) in each barangay. This frame was used to form the primary sampling units (PSUs). With consideration of the period for which the 2003 MS will be in use, the PSUs were formed/defined as a barangay or a combination of barangays with at least 500 households.

Stratification Scheme

Startification involves the division of the entire population into non-overlapping subgroups called starta. Prior to sample selection, the PSUs in each domain were stratified as follows: 1) All large PSUs were treated as separate strata and were referred to as certainty selections (self-representing PSUs). A PSU was considered large if it has a large probability of selection. 2) All other PSUs were then stratified by province, highly urbanized city (HUC) and independent component city (ICC). 3) Within each province/HUC/ICC, the PSUs were further stratified or grouped with respect to some socio-economic variables that were related to poverty incidence. These variables were: (a) the proportion of strongly built houses (PSTRONG); (b) an indication of the proportion of households engaged in agriculture (AGRI); and (c) the per-capita income (PERCAPITA).

Sample Selection

To have some control over the subsample size, the PSUs were selected with probability proportional to some estimated measure of size. The size measure refers to the total number of households from the 2000 CPH. Because of the wide variation in PSU sizes, PSUs with selection probabilities greater than 1 were identified and were included in the sample as certainty selections.

At the second stage, enumeration areas (EAs) were selected within sampled PSUs, and at the third stage, housing units were selected within sampled EAs. Generally, all households in sampled housing units were enumerated, except for few cases when the number of households in a housing unit exceeds three. In which case, a sample of three households in a sampled housing unit was selected at random with equal probability.

An EA is defined as an area with discernable boundaries within barangays, consisting of about 150 contiguous households. These EAs were identified during the 2000 CPH. A housing unit is a structurally separate and independent place of abode which, by the way it has been constructed, converted, or arranged, is intended for habitation by a household

Sample Size

The 2003 Master Sample consist of a sample of 2,835 PSUs of which 330 were certainty PSUs and 2,505 were non certainty PSUs. The number of households for the 2000 CPH was used as measure of size. The entire MS was divided into four sub-samples or independent replicates, such as a quarter sample contains one fourth of the PSUs found in one replicate; a half-sample contains one-half of the PSUs in two replicates. Thus, the survey covers a nationwide sample of about 51,000 households deemed sufficient to measure the levels of employment and unemployment at the national and regional levels.

Strategy for non-response

Replacement of sample households within the sample housing units is allowed only if the listed sample households had moved out of the housing unit. Replacement should be the household currently residing in the sample housing unit previously occupied by the original sample.

Sampling deviation

Starting the July 2003 round of the Labor Force Survey, the generation of the labor force and employment statistics adopted the 2003 Master Sample Design. - Using this new master sample design, the number of samples increased from 41,000 to around 51,000 sample households.

• The province of Basilan is grouped under Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao while Isabela City (Basilan) is now grouped under Region IX. This is to adopt the regional grouping under Executive Order No.36.
• The 1992 four-digit code for Philippine Standard Occupational Classification (PSOC) and 1994 Philippine Standard Industry Classification (PSIC) were used in classifying the occupation and industry.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Philippines Labor Force: Region IVA: Calabarzon data was reported at 6,249.000 Person th in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6,276.000 Person th for Jan 2018. Philippines Labor Force: Region IVA: Calabarzon data is updated quarterly, averaging 5,131.000 Person th from Jul 2004 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,457.000 Person th in Oct 2017 and a record low of 4,203.000 Person th in Apr 2005. Philippines Labor Force: Region IVA: Calabarzon data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Philippine Statistics Authority. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Philippines – Table PH.G005: Labour Force Survey: Labour Force.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households/individuals

Kind of data

survey

Frequency of data collection

Four times a year: January, April, July and October

Sampling procedure

Sample size:

Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Philippines was reported at 41.39 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Philippines - Labor force, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

The statistic shows the distribution of employment in the Philippines by economic sector from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, 22.37 percent of the employees in the Philippines were active in the agricultural sector, 18.47 percent in industry and 59.16 percent in the services sector.

Historical dataset showing Philippines labor force participation rate by year from 1990 to 2024.

The Philippines: Labor force, million people: The latest value from 2024 is 50.98 million people, an increase from 50.35 million people in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 20.90 million people, based on data from 176 countries. Historically, the average for the Philippines from 1990 to 2024 is 35.63 million people. The minimum value, 22.45 million people, was reached in 1990 while the maximum of 50.98 million people was recorded in 2024.

Actual value and historical data chart for Philippines Unemployment Total Percent Of Total Labor Force National Estimate

Abstract

The Labor Force Survey (LFS) is a nationwide survey of households conducted quarterly to gather data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population. It is primarily geared towards the estimation of the levels of employment and unemployment in the country. One of the objectives of the Labor Force Survey is to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market. Specifically, the survey is designed to provide statistics on levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment of the country, as a whole, and for the 17 administrative regions.

A total national sample of 42,768 sample housholds (rounds with Batanes sample) or 42,576 sample households (rounds without Batanes sample) will be alloted per survey round deemed sufficient to provide more precise and reliable estimates at the national and regional levels only.

The survey involves the collection of data on demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population in general. The reporting unit is the household which means that statistics emanating from this survey refers to the characteristics of the population residing in private households. Persons who belongs to the institutional population are not within the scope of the survey.

Geographic coverage

The sample was selected to allow separate estimates for the national level, and regional levels only (17 administrative regions).

National Capital Region (NCR) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Region I - Ilocos Region Region II - Cagayan Valley Region III - Central Luzon Region IV-A - CALABARZON Region IV-B - MIMAROPA Region V - Bicol Region Region VI - Western Visayas Region VII - Central Visayas Region VIII - Eastern Visayas Region IX - Zamboanga Peninsula Region X - Northern Mindanao Region XI - Davao Region Region XII - SOCCSKSARGEN Caraga Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

Analysis unit

Individual or Person Persons 15 years old and over

Universe

The survey covered all household members of the sample households.

Considered as members of a household are:

a. Persons who are present at the time of visit, whose usual place of residence is the sample household regardless of their length of stay in the household;

b. Persons who are present at the time of visit, whose usual place of residence is outside the sample household but have stayed temporarily with the sample household, for at least 30 days;

c. Persons who are present at the time of visit, whose usual place of residence is outside the sample household but have stayed with the sample household even for less than 30 days, provided that they have been away from their usual place of residence for 30 days or more;

d. Persons who are not present at the time of visit, but are expected to return within 30 days from date of departure to their usual place of residence, which is the sample household; and

e. The following family members who are away at the time of visit:

 1 . Overseas contract workers (OCWs);

 2. Other overseas Filipino workers who have been away for not more than five years from the date of departure, and are expected to be back within five years from the date of last departure;

 3. Employees in Philippine embassies, consulates and other missions; and

 4. Students abroad/tourists who have been away for one year or less and are expected to be back within a year from the date of departure. This category also includes those attending training abroad, medical treatment and missionaries.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The 2013 Master Sample for household-based survey:

In order to be more effecient in the conduct of household based-surveys, the PSA designed a master sample consists of randomly assigned and selected set of geographic areas with non-overlapping and discernable boundaries known as the primary sampling units (PSUs). The primary sampling unit (PSU) can be (1) the whole barangay, or (2) a portion of a large barangay, or (3) combinations of small barangays.

Provinces and Highly Urbanized Ciities as Sampling Domain

To provide sub-national or provincial level statistics with precise estimates the 2013 MS has 117 major domains as follows: 81 provinces (including the newly created province Davao Occidental); 33 highly urbanized cities (HUC) (including 16 citiies in the National Capital Region; and 3 other areas (Pateros, Isabela City, and Cotabato City).

Primary Sampling Units

In the 2013 MS design each sampling diomain(i.e., province/HUC is divided into exhaustive and non-overlapping area segments known as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) with about 100 to 400 households. Thus, a PSU can be a barangay/Enumeration Area (EA) or a portion of a large barangay or two or more adjacent small barangays/EAs. The PSUs are then ordered according to the following: (1) North-South/West-East Geographic location; (2)decreasing proporion of households with overseas workers; and (3) decreasing wealth index.

Replicates

From the ordered list of PSUs, all possible systematic samples of 6 PSUs will be drawn to form a replicate for the most of the province domain i.e., 75 out of 81 provinces while all possible systemmatic sample of 8 PSUs will be drawn to form a replicate for most of the HUCs, i.e., 31 of 33 HUCs. Small province domains such as Guimaras, Siquijor, Camiguin, Apayao, and Dinagat Isalnds will have 3 PSUs per replicate. Batanes with very less PSUs formed will have 3 PSUs per replicate but will be covered twice a year only (i.e., January and July rounds only). For other HUCs, San Juan City and Lucena City will have 3 and 5 PSUs per replicate, while the other urban areas, Pateros, and City of Isabela will also have 3 PSUs per replicate while Cotabato City will be allocated with 5 PSUs per replicate.

For instance, in Cagayan with 1008 PSUs formed, a total 1008/6 = 168 possible systematic samples of size 6 or 168 R groups or replicates can be made. The 168 replicates formed are then sorted at random so that the first 4 replicates will be in the first round, next 4 in the second round, and so on.

Sample Allocation Scheme

For each domain, a total of 4 sample replicates will be allotted for each survey round. However, the total number of sample SSUs will be alloted proportionately to the measure of size of the PSU. Thus, a PSU with only 100 households would have less number of samples households than PSUs with 400 households but on the average there will be 12 sample households allotted for each PSU in HUCs and an average of 16 sample households alloted for every PSUs in province domains.

A total national sample of 42,768 sample households (rounds with Batanes sample) or 42,576 sample households (rounds without Batanes sample) will be allotted per survey round.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

ISH FORM 2 (LFS questionnaire) is a four-page, forty three-column questionnaire that is being used in the quarterly rounds of the Labor Force Survey nationwide. This questionnaire gathers data on the demographic and economic characteristics of the population.

On the first page of the questionnaire, the particulars about the geographic location, design codes and household auxiliary information of the sample household that is being interviewed are to be recorded. Certifications by the enumerator and his supervisor regarding the manner by which the data are collected are likewise to be made on this page.

The inside pages of the questionnaire contain the items to be determined about each member of the sample household. Columns 2 to 10 are for the demographic characteristics; columns 2 to 5A are to be ascertained of all members of the household regardless of age. Columns 6 to 7 are asked for members 5 years old and over, while column 8 is asked for members 5 to 24 years old, column 9 to 10, for 15 years old and over, while columns 11 to 15 are asked for members 5 years old and over. Columns 18 to 42 on the other hand, are the series of items that will be asked of all the members 15 years old and over to determine their labor force and employment characteristics.

Other Relevant Information: The question on hunger experienced by any member of the family because they did not have food to eat, was asked to the head of the household. If in question A, the answer is Yes the frequency of experiencing hunger was asked in question B.

Most of the questions have pre-coded responses. The possible answers with their corresponding codes are printed at the bottom of the page for easy reference. Only the appropriate codes need to be entered in the cells.

Other items, however, require write-in entries such as column 14 (primary occupation) and column 16 (kind of business/industry), etc. For such items, it is required that the enumerator describes the primary occupation or kind of business/industry.

The ISH Form 2 is provided as Technical Documents.

Cleaning operations

Data Processing

Verification and review of questionnaires

The SRs were expected to have verified the completeness of the questionnaires, correctness of the entries, consistency of the entries in the different related items, and the correctness of the codes that were entered in the boxes before the questionnaires were submitted to the Assistant Provincial Supervisor or the Provincial Supervisor. Use the list of sample barangays/EAs provided for coding the region, provinces, municipalities and barangays.

The Assistant Provincial Supervisor or the Provincial Supervisor. upon receipt of the questionnaires reviewed the forms and code the responses for occupation

Preliminary figures for 2023 revealed that the youth labor force participation rate in the Philippines was **** percent. This was the lowest figure recorded during the given period.

Techsalerator's Job Openings Data for the Philippines: A Comprehensive Resource for Employment Insights

Techsalerator's Job Openings Data for the Philippines offers a rich and detailed overview of job opportunities across various sectors, providing essential information for businesses, job seekers, and labor market analysts. This dataset consolidates job-related information from a range of sources, including company websites, job boards, and recruitment agencies, giving a comprehensive view of the employment landscape in the Philippines.

Key Data Fields

• Job Posting Date: Shows when a job was listed, helping job seekers and HR professionals stay current with the latest opportunities and trends.
• Job Title: Details the advertised position, aiding in the categorization and filtering of job openings by industry roles and career interests.
• Company Name: Lists the hiring organization, allowing job seekers to target their applications and helping businesses track competitors and market trends.
• Job Location: Specifies the geographic location within the Philippines, assisting job seekers in finding regional opportunities and employers in analyzing regional talent and market conditions.
• Job Description: Provides details about job responsibilities, required qualifications, and other relevant aspects, crucial for candidates to assess their fit for the role and for recruiters to set clear expectations.

Top 5 Job Categories in the Philippines

1. Information Technology (IT): High demand for software developers, IT support specialists, and cybersecurity experts driven by the expansion of digital infrastructure and tech innovation.
2. Healthcare: Opportunities for doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and other healthcare professionals, addressing the needs of both public and private sectors.
3. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO): Roles in customer service, technical support, and operations, reflecting the Philippines' strong presence in the global BPO industry.
4. Education: Positions for teachers, administrators, and educational consultants, supporting the country’s focus on improving educational standards.
5. Engineering and Construction: High demand for civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers, as well as skilled laborers, due to ongoing infrastructure projects and urban development.

Top 5 Employers in the Philippines

• Accenture: A global consulting and professional services company with frequent openings in IT, consulting, and management roles.
• Jollibee Foods Corporation: The leading fast-food chain in the Philippines, offering roles in operations, management, and marketing.
• Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT): A major telecommunications provider with opportunities in network operations, customer service, and engineering.
• San Miguel Corporation: A diversified conglomerate with roles in manufacturing, logistics, and management across various industries.
• University of the Philippines: The country’s premier university, hiring for academic, administrative, and research positions.

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To access Techsalerator’s Job Openings Data for the Philippines, please contact info@techsalerator.com with your specific needs. We will provide a customized quote based on the data fields and records you require, with delivery available within 24 hours. Ongoing access options can also be discussed.

Included Data Fields

• Job Posting Date
• Job Title
• Company Name
• Job Location
• Job Description
• Application Deadline
• Job Type (Full-time, Part-time, Contract)
• Salary Range
• Required Qualifications
• Contact Information

Techsalerator’s dataset is a valuable tool for those looking to stay informed about job openings and employment trends in the Philippines, supporting businesses, job seekers, and analysts in making strategic decisions.