The Philippine unemployment rate climbed to six percent in July as millions of Filipinos entered the labor force, with young Filipinos making up a substantial share of new jobseekers.

This means the number of unemployed Filipinos reached 3.14 million, up by about 550,000 from June’s 2.59 million without jobs, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said in its report on Tuesday.

The July unemployment rate was higher than the 5.3 percent recorded a year earlier and 4.7 percent in April.

National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the six percent level was last recorded in May and June 2022.

“Our six percent unemployment rate is something we have not seen for quite some time. The last time we had 6 percent was reported in May and June 2022,” Mapa said.

The increase in joblessness came as more Filipinos entered the labor market. The labor force participation rate rose to 63.6 percent from 60.7 percent a year earlier, bringing the labor force to 52.36 million, or 3.71 million more than in July 2025.

Young workers accounted for a substantial portion of the increase, with Mapa saying 1.33 million Filipinos aged 15 to 24 entered the labor market in July.

“Those aged 15 to 24 who joined the labor market in July 2026 totaled 1.33 million. That is substantial, but unfortunately, not all of them were employed,” Mapa said.

Meanwhile, employment declined to 49.21 million in July from 50.66 million in June. The employment rate stood at 94 percent, down from 94.7 percent a year earlier.

Underemployment, however, improved on an annual basis, falling to 12.9 percent from 14.8 percent in July 2025. The PSA estimated 6.33 million employed Filipinos wanted additional hours of work or another job.

Services remained the largest source of employment at 62.8 percent, followed by agriculture at 19.7 percent and industry at 17.5 percent.

CALABARZON’s declining workforce

CALABARZON’s unemployment rate stood above the national average in July, placing the country’s major industrial region among six regions with higher-than-average joblessness, the PSA said.

Region IV-A posted an unemployment rate of 6.07 percent, slightly higher than the nationwide rate of 6.0 percent.

The PSA further said only six regions exceeded the national average, while the National Capital Region recorded the highest unemployment rate at 8.2 percent, followed by Bicol Region at 8.0 percent, Ilocos Region at 7.0 percent, Central Visayas at 6.3 percent, Caraga at 6.15 percent, and CALABARZON at 6.07 percent.

Producing more jobs

With this, Labor and Employment Secretary Francis Tolentino assured that he will get more Filipinos employed.

“We will continue strengthening employment facilitation and connecting jobseekers with available opportunities,” Tolentino said.

According to Tolentino, the government should closely monitor where employment opportunities are growing and where gaps remain so that the country’s employment programs and services can respond to the needs of workers and jobseekers.

“The goal is not only to bring the unemployment rate down, but to put more Filipinos in decent, more productive work,” added the secretary.