The number of unemployed Filipinos decreased by 30 percent to 1.62 million in June from 2.33 million in the same month last year.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the number of jobless individuals in June also decreased from 2.11 million in May 2024.
This decline led to a decrease in the unemployment rate to 3.1 percent from 4.5 percent in June 2023 and 4.1 percent in May 2024.
The total average unemployment rate from January to June was recorded at 3.9 percent or about 1.95 million individuals, PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa said.
The main contributors to the decline in unemployment were the increase in construction workers, which grew by 938,000 year-on-year, and in wholesale and retail trade repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, which grew by 527,000.
Workers in accommodation and food service activities, manufacturing, and transportation and storage sectors also increased by 396,000, 353,000, and 323,000, respectively.
Meanwhile, employment contracted in the sectors of agriculture and forestry, dropping by 916,000 workers, and in fishing and aquaculture by 81,000 workers. This decline is attributed to weather disturbances, natural disasters, pest and disease infestation, and the escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
On the other hand, the underemployment rate, or the measure of people who are unwillingly working in low-skill and low-paying jobs or only part-time, increased to 12.1 percent or 6.08 million underemployed individuals, from 12 percent in June 2023 and 9.9 percent in May.
This brings the total underemployment average in the first semester of the year to 12.3 percent or about six million individuals.
The labor market also saw an improvement in the quality of jobs with an increase in the number of full-time or additional 3.1 million workers, wage and salaried or 2.0 million more workers, and middle-skilled or 1.7 million workers.
There was a significant decline in part-time, which saw a decrease of 1.5 million workers and vulnerable employment or a decrease of 521,000 workers compared to last year.
National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said that the government's infrastructure projects will prompt the improvement of operating conditions for manufacturing firms and lead to employment gains.
Balisacan also added that the government "will continue to focus on generating high-quality and well-paying jobs to address the issue of vulnerable employment and ensure a brighter future for our Filipino workers."