Employment climbs to 49.79M in August

The number of employed Filipinos rose to 49.79 million in August, up by 574,000 from July, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday, 7 October.

Citing the latest Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority, DOLE said the country’s labor force, covering both employed and unemployed Filipinos, reached 52.56 million in August.

The labor force participation rate stood at 63.6 percent, slightly lower than the 64 percent recorded in July.

Meanwhile, the employment rate improved to 94.7 percent from 94 percent in July.

“The improvement in August is encouraging, particularly the increase in employment and decline in unemployment,” Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said.

“But we cannot be complacent,” he added.

Tolentino said DOLE would continue efforts to connect jobseekers with employment opportunities, equip workers with relevant skills and ensure that employment assistance leads to more sustainable jobs.

“We need to closely monitor where opportunities are growing and where gaps remain, and make sure that our employment services, skills programs, and livelihood interventions respond to those needs,” he said.