Targeted support eyed for workers after jobless rate jumped in 2025

THE GOVERNMENT will pivot in 2026 toward targeted job support in sectors facing worker displacement, as the Philippines looks to protect employment gains that stayed within official targets last year, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said.

- By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) would prioritize job matching and infrastructure-related opportunities for construction workers and expand emergency employment and livelihood assistance for displaced workers in agriculture and fisheries, he told Business World in a Viber message on Sunday.

The DoLE would also step up skill upgrading and reskilling programs tied to climate-resilient and more stable, year-round jobs, he added.

"For 2026, DOLE will also work closely with partner agencies on skill upgrading/reskilling on climate-resilient jobs, and more stable, year-round employment," Mr. Laguesma said.

The shift comes after labor market indicators for 2025 landed within benchmarks set under the Philippine Development Plan. The Philippine Statistics Authority's Labor Force Survey showed the unemployment rate rose to 4.2% in 2025 from 3.8% in 2024. The underemployment rate was unchanged at 11.9% year on year in 2025.

While the figures point to resilience in the headline labor market, the data reflect the vulnerability of construction, agriculture, and fisheries sectors to weather disruptions, project delays, and seasonal swings.

Analysts said that the December labor data mask a sharp slowdown in job creation and rising volatility in key sectors.