The Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) latest Labor Force Survey reported more than six million Filipinos with jobs that wanted additional work in May 2026, despite the underemployment rate falling to 12.2 percent.

The rate represented 6.04 million of the country’s 49.63 million employed people who expressed the need for additional hours in their present jobs, an additional job or a new job with longer hours.

More than half of those underemployed, or 53.7 percent, worked fewer than 40 hours a week, including those who did not work during the reference period.

On the other hand, 46.3 percent worked at least 40 hours a week but still wanted additional work.

Furthermore, PSA also reported that the labor force participation rate was 63.8 percent in May 2026, which is lower than 65.8 percent in the same period of last year.