More Filipinos employed in May, but underemployment also rises
Key sectors that saw major employment gains include wholesale and retail trade, agriculture, administrative services, hospitality, and other service industries. However, underemployment—people working but seeking more hours or better pay—also rose to 13.1% (6.6 million people), up from 9.9% last year.
PSA Chief Dennis Mapa explained that while labor force participation grew by 1.35 million and many were absorbed into jobs, a large portion only found part-time or insufficient work.
Despite this, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan welcomed the development, saying that a growing workforce indicates a robust and competitive labor market, which can help fuel economic growth. He added that the government is focused on upskilling initiatives and attracting high-value industries like IT-BPM and AI-related sectors.
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