Unemployment rate drops to 4.4% in Nov

The number of jobless Filipinos dropped in November, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday, as the labor market improved.

The country’s unemployment rate was recorded at 4.4 percent, from October’s three-month high of 5.5 percent but higher than November last year’s 3.2 percent.

This translates to 2.25 million unemployed Filipinos, lower than the 2.54 million recorded in October 2025 but higher than 1.66 million in the same month last year.

Meanwhile, underemployment — which counts as those looking for more work or an extra job — declined to 10.4 percent, down from 12.0 percent and 10.8 percent a month and year earlier, respectively.

The number of underemployed individuals stood at 5.11 million. These are workers who express a desire for additional hours in their current job, an additional job, or a new job with longer hours.

Employment rate, meanwhile, recorded an uptick of 95.6 percent, up from 95.0 percent recorded a month earlier but lower than the 96.8 percent last year. The number of individuals with jobs reached 49.26 million.

The country’s Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in November was registered at 64.0, higher than the 63.6 percent a month earlier but lower than the 64.6 percent recorded a year earlier.

Source: Manila Times

Misery index worsens in October

The Philippines’ adjusted misery index hit a three-month high of 18% in October from 16.2% in September. This was the highest recorded since the 20.2% in July. Despite steady inflation in October, the jobless rate and underemployment rate climbed to a three-month high, which contributed to the worsening of the misery index.

The index, which now incorporates adjusted underemployment rate* alongside inflation and unemployment rates, offers a broader measure of economic discomfort.

Originally developed by economist Arthur Okun, the misery index serves as a proxy for economic distress. A lower reading typically signals better economic health, though structural issues may still persist beneath the surface.

Source: Business World

Unemployment hits 3-month high

The number of jobless Filipinos surged in October, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday, with rates hitting a three-month high.

The country’s unemployment rate was recorded at 5.0 percent, markedly up from 3.8 percent and 3.9 percent a year earlier.. This is the highest unemployment rate since July of this year at 5.3 percent.

This translates to 2.54 million unemployed Filipinos, higher than the 1.96 million recorded in September 2025 and 1.97 million in the same month last year.

Meanwhile, underemployment — which counts as those looking for more work or an extra job — rose to 12.0 percent, up from 11.1 percent last month. It is, however, lower than year-earlier 12.6 percent.

The number of underemployed individuals stood at 5.81 million. These are workers who expressed a desire for additional hours in their current job, an additional job, or a new job with longer hours.

Employment rate, meanwhile, recorded a downtick of 95.0 percent, down from 96.2 percent recorded a month earlier and 96.1 percent a year earlier. The number of individuals with jobs reached 48.62 million.

The country’s Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in October was registered at 63.6, lower than the 64.5 percent a month earlier but slightly higher than the 63.3 percent recorded a year earlier.

Source: Manila Times