Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma on Wednesday attributed the temporary rise in unemployment in October 2025 to recent natural calamities, including strong earthquakes and successive typhoons, while noting continued growth in employment and improvements in job quality.
Citing the latest Labor Force Survey, Laguesma said the unemployment rate rose to 5% in October 2025 from 3.9% a year earlier, still within the government’s 4.8% to 5.1% target under the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.
He said the increase was partly linked to a series of strong earthquakes, including the magnitude 6.9 quake in Cebu and the magnitude 7.4 quake in Davao Oriental, noting a similar spike in unemployment was recorded in July due to widespread typhoons.
The survey showed the labor force grew to 51.162 million in October 2025 from 50.123 million a year earlier, while employment rose to 48.619 million from 48.157 million.
Underemployment improved, with the number of underemployed workers falling to 5.811 million from 6.083 million, bringing the rate down to 12% from 12.6%.
Year-on-year employment gains were recorded in public administration and defense; compulsory social security, accommodation and food service activities, agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, and fishing and aquaculture, with agriculture and forestry posting the highest quarter-on-quarter increase.
Laguesma said the rise in unemployment was also influenced by the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong in September, which affected about 4.57 million people, based on data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
In response, the Department of Labor and Employment rolled out emergency employment programs, releasing P494.7 million for typhoon-affected workers and P39 million for earthquake victims to help restore livelihoods.
“These interventions are expected to help families recover and remain economically active,” Laguesma said, reaffirming DOLE’s commitment to transparency and reforms under the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2023–2028 and the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan 2025–2034.
