The country's labor market is shifting toward skilled occupations, prompting the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to intensify its efforts in sustaining job creation through its newly launched 10-year employment strategy.

DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma announced that the employment rate in March 2025 stood at 96.1 percent, consistent with the previous year and slightly lower than February’s 96.2 percent.

Notable gains were recorded in sectors such as education, administrative and support services, arts and entertainment, fishing, aquaculture, and health and social work—generating more opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

In contrast, a decline in elementary occupations was observed, while employment rose in service and sales, craft and trade, and technical roles.

“This shift signals an improving labor market that is better aligned with the evolving needs of the economy,” Laguesma said.

Unemployment dropped by 69,000 year-on-year—from two million in March 2024 to 1.931 million in March 2025—and by 5,000 compared to February’s 1.937 million.

Both unemployment and labor force participation rates have surpassed the targets outlined in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028.

The March 2025 Labor Force Survey, according to DOLE, reflects labor market volatility influenced by both local and global trends, underscoring persistent challenges such as mismatches in education, skills, and job locations.

In response, DOLE launched the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan 2025–2034 on May 5, a 10-year roadmap aimed at institutionalizing employment generation across government, industry, and civil society.

The plan seeks to address long-term labor challenges, including unemployment, underemployment, and youth joblessness, while preparing the workforce for future economic demands.

As part of its sustained employment initiatives, DOLE continues to hold monthly job fairs nationwide in coordination with Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) and private sector partners.

From January to April this year, 338 job fairs were conducted, offering more than 670,000 vacancies from over 10,000 employers.

During the nationwide Labor Day job fair, over 260,000 positions were made available, reflecting the wide range of employment opportunities, though DOLE stressed the need for stronger job-matching mechanisms.