The number of jobless Filipinos as well as the unemployment rate in January 2026 hit the highest levels under the current Marcos Jr. administration.

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) OpenSTAT data, the unemployment rate of 5.8 percent at the start of the year was the highest since six percent in June 2022, the final month of the previous Duterte administration.

In terms of the number of unemployed, PSA OpenSTAT data seen by Manila Bulletin showed that 2.96 million Filipinos were jobless last January, also the highest since June 2022’s 2.99 million.

PSA Assistant Secretary Divina Gracia L. Del Prado told a press briefing on Friday, March 13, that about 306,000 Filipinos who were part of the labor force in January were looking for jobs but could not find any.

She added that about 196,000 labor force participants—those aged 15 and above who are employed or looking for a job—said they were awaiting the results of their employment applications that month.

The labor force population stood at 50.89 million in January, up from 50.65 million a year ago but down from 51.16 million a quarter ago.

The labor force participation rate of 62.3 percent last January was also lower than levels a year ago and a quarter ago.

Del Prado also noted that the number of jobs historically falls by January after the Christmas season, when short-term employment opportunities are made available to meet holiday demand.

As these seasonal Christmas jobs ended, some 695,000 Filipinos were added to the unemployed in January compared with December levels, Del Prado said.

Amid threats to both overseas and local employment due to the global impact of the ongoing Middle East war, Del Prado said joblessness numbers may reflect these challenges by the second quarter.

In January, 47.94 million Filipinos were employed, down from 48.49 million a year ago and 48.62 million a quarter ago. The number of employed Filipinos last January was the lowest since the 46.05 million recorded in July 2025, OpenSTAT data showed.

Underemployment also worsened in January to 13.2 percent, equivalent to 6.35 million Filipinos looking for higher pay or longer work hours, from 12 percent in October last year. Year-on-year, the underemployment rate slightly improved from 13.3 percent in January 2025.

According to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the Marcos Jr. administration is ramping up support for the workforce amid rising global uncertainties.

“Given elevated geopolitical tensions and global uncertainties, strategic policies are needed to bolster labor market resilience. The government continues to pursue a comprehensive response to support affected workers in the short term while fostering a dynamic and robust labor market in the medium and long term,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, the country’s chief economist, said in a statement.

“Our priority is clear: create more and better jobs at home, strengthen industries, equip our workers with the skills needed for higher-value employment, and ensure that those affected by global disruptions, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), can transition smoothly into productive opportunities here in the Philippines,” Balisacan said.

DEPDev said the government is strengthening safety nets to support workers affected by the Middle East conflict, including fuel subsidies for transport operators, farmers, and fisherfolk, as well as expanded emergency employment and livelihood programs.

The current administration is also enhancing labor market resilience through digital initiatives like the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) skills passport, improved reintegration support for returning OFWs, and policies aimed at diversifying growth and boosting productivity, DEPDev added.

Also, DEPDev said the government is working to expand quality job opportunities for women, whose labor force participation remains low due to barriers such as domestic responsibilities and limited access to flexible work arrangements.

DEPDev recently launched the Juana Trabaho initiative with support from the Australian government through Investing in Women to boost women’s workforce participation under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, which serves as the Marcos Jr. administration’s medium-term socioeconomic blueprint.