The Department of Labor and Employment acknowledges the latest Labor Force Survey Report for October 2025, which highlights the increase in the number of individuals in the labor force from 50.123 million in October 2024 to 51.162 million this October round. Also, the number of employed persons increased from
48.157 million to 48.619 million over the same period. Meanwhile, the number of underemployed workers decreased from 6.083 million in Octowber 2024 to 5.811 million in October 2025, reflecting an improvement in the number of individuals who are seeking additional work hours.
Based on the October 2025 results, many sectors showed employment growth on a year-on-year basis including Public administration and defense; compulsory social security (+257,000), Accommodation and food service activities (+180,000), Agriculture and forestry (+168,000), Manufacturing (+152,000), and Fishing and aquaculture (+88,000). Agriculture and forestry reported the highest increase in employment on a quarter to quarter basis.
The decline in underemployment, from 12.6% in October 2024 to 12% in October 2025, may be attributed to the ongoing progress in improving job quality particularly in the implementation of the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2023-2028 and Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan 2025-2034.
While the October 2025 report reflects a temporary rise in the unemployment rate from 3.9% in October 2024 to 5.0% in October 2025, said value still falls within the 4.8-5.1% target for 2025 as enrolled in the Philippine Development Plan 2023 – 2028. Said rise in the unemployment rate is attributed to the reported natural calamities by the NDRRMC, from the combined effects of southwest monsoon, tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong in September exacerbated by typhoons—affecting 4.572 million individuals. This temporary increase can also be linked to the series of strong earthquakes including the magnitude 6.9 quake in Cebu followed by a magnitude 7.4 in Davao Oriental. It should be noted that during the July 2025 LFS round, similar rise in unemployment (5.3%) was observed due to a series of typhoons experienced by the country.
In response, the Department mobilized emergency employment interventions, including the awarding of Php 494.7 million emergency employment assistance for typhoon affected individuals, Php 39 million assistance for the earthquake victims. These interventions are expected to facilitate the recovery of the families and individuals to continue to be economically active and productive members of the labor force as well as help restore livelihoods and loss of incomes.
The Department remains committed to efficient, honest, and transparent public service to empower every Filipino worker. We endeavor to cultivate a competitive, dynamic, and robust workforce that will advance the nation toward a Bagong Pilipinas, as envisioned by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., ensuring that our economic gains translate into a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay for all Filipinos.
(Sgd.) BIENVENIDO E. LAGUESMA
DOLE Secretary
