A significant shift in the Philippine labor market is underway, with more Filipinos entering skilled, managerial, and professional jobs, based on the latest Labor Force Survey (LFS) results for February 2025, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Tuesday, Apr. 8.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the increase in wage and salaried workers, along with a rise in self-employment and a decline in unpaid family labor, signals a growing emphasis on stable, income-generating roles across the country.
Wage and salary workers now account for the majority of the labor force, while the number of unpaid family workers continues to decline—an indicator of improved job quality and labor formalization.
The services sector remained the top employment contributor, comprising 61.6 percent of the workforce, followed by agriculture at 20.9 percent and industry at 17.5 percent.
To sustain these gains, Laguesma underscored the importance of continued inter-agency collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Health (DOH) through the “Trabaho at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan sa Bagong Pilipinas” initiative, which targets vulnerable groups, especially those transitioning from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) across the country are being mobilized as community-level one-stop centers for job matching, skills training, and access to government services.
For young job seekers, DOLE continues to implement programs such as JobStart Philippines, the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), and the Government Internship Program (GIP), designed to build job readiness and provide workplace exposure.
In response to the growing demand for digital talent, DOLE is working closely with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to implement the Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act.
This joint initiative aims to upskill workers in cybersecurity, IT, and digital services while safeguarding their rights and welfare.
As part of the 2025 Labor Day celebration, DOLE will spearhead a nationwide job fair on May 1, offering thousands of local and overseas job opportunities in partnership with private companies and licensed recruitment agencies under the theme “Manggagawang Pilipino, Kaagapay sa Pag-unlad, Sandigan ng Mas Matatag na Bagong Pilipinas.”
Laguesma said these labor market initiatives are in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s economic agenda of building a more inclusive and future-ready Filipino workforce.