The rise in part-time work is an indication of the worsening jobs quality in the Philippines, according to a think tank.

In its latest report, IBON Foundation said the number of full-time workers declined by 637,000 to 34.2 million, while part-time workers rose by 787,000.

“This means nearly one-third of the workforce, or 15.8 million Filipinos, are in part-time jobs,” IBON executive director Sonny Africa said.

IBON estimated the number of openly informal workers grew by 748,000 to 21.2 million, or 41.9 percent of the total employed.

This includes the self-employed, private household workers, and individuals in family-owned farms and businesses.

The non-profit group made the statement after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his latest State of the Nation Address, highlighted the steady rise in job opportunities across the country.

Further, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development noted that quality jobs have expanded as underemployment declined in June.

Citing the June 2025 Labor Force Survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority, DEPDev said the underemployment rate dipped to 11.4 percent, down from 12.1 percent in June.

However, Africa argued that “fewer underemployed people is not an indication the job situation is improving.”

“Instead, more Filipinos are left with fewer options in a deteriorating job market. Beyond taking labor figures at face value, job quality should be measured by decent wages and benefits, job security, and labor rights — areas where the Philippines is failing on all counts,” he said.

Weak economic activity

Africa also pointed to the “weakening economic activity” with the deterioration of jobs quality, as there has been a massive drop in the number of private establishment workers by 831,000 to 25 million.

He likewise said that the increase in government jobs by 279,000 and domestic work by 278,000 “were insufficient to offset the overall decline in the number of wage and salary workers by 255,000 to 31.8 million.”