Manila: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Wednesday that the employment rate for August, which stands at 96.1 percent, is a testament to the country's economic growth and resilience.
According to Philippines News Agency, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma emphasized that the latest employment statistics released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reflect an impressive labor market performance. Laguesma highlighted that the August 2025 Labor Force Survey (LFS) report from the PSA shows a notable increase compared to the 96.0 percent employment rate in August 2024, despite a series of typhoons earlier in the year.
Laguesma pointed out that the employment rate's rise from 94.7 percent in July 2025 underscores strong job recovery and creation nationwide, demonstrating that more Filipinos are entering the labor market. He noted that the current unemployment rate of 3.9 percent further underscores the country's economic resilience, particularly when compared to the 5.3 percent unemployment rate in July 2025.
He also observed improvements in job quality, indicating a shift from part-time to more stable and permanent employment opportunities. Laguesma highlighted the structure of the employment landscape, with the Services sector leading with a 61.5 percent share, followed by Agriculture at 20.4 percent, and the Industry sector at 18.1 percent, reflecting a robust and resilient economy.
The DOLE chief committed to enhancing pre-employment and internship programs, including the Special Program for the Employment of Students, the Government Internship Program (GIP), and Jobstart Philippines. These initiatives aim to provide young people with valuable experiences, practical skills, and work ethics through collaboration with the private sector and government agencies.
Laguesma also mentioned that DOLE has formalized a partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to improve the generation of timely and reliable insights on jobs and the economy. Additionally, a partnership with the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines has been established to boost youth employability and expand opportunities in the IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector.
"This collaboration supports the administration's goal of uplifting Filipino lives by fostering a resilient economy, focusing on matching JobStart trainees with appropriate skills, assisting displaced workers, and promoting the DOLE Adjustment Measures Program to support business projects in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that will create more quality jobs," Laguesma stated.
