Hidden jobless crisis? Millions of Filipinos not in official count

The real number of jobless Filipinos may be far higher than the figures released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), according to a new analysis by the IBON Foundation.

The nonprofit think tank said that if unpaid family workers and discouraged jobseekers are included, the true number of unemployed could reach 7.2 million in December 2025 and 6.9 million for the entire year.

IBON warned that the country is facing a deepening jobs crisis, driven by what it described as a weak and exclusionary economy.

“Recently released labor force data point to a deepening jobs crisis marked by joblessness, widespread informality and extreme volatility,” the group said, rejecting the government’s claim that the situation is only a “slowdown in momentum.”

According to IBON, official statistics exclude 3.3 million unpaid family workers who receive no wages but are still counted as employed. It also leaves out an estimated 1.5 to 2 million discouraged workers who have stopped looking for jobs.

The think tank also flagged a sharp drop in employment, noting that 758,000 fewer Filipinos had jobs in December 2025 compared to December 2024.

Beyond the numbers, IBON said the quality of jobs remains a major concern. It estimated that nearly 35 million workers—about 71% of the employed population—were in informal jobs in 2025. These include self-employed workers, family farm workers, household helpers, and employees in informal businesses.

The group said most job growth is happening in low-paying and insecure sectors with irregular wages.

IBON blamed the situation on the long-term decline of domestic production and policies it said rely too heavily on foreign investment, infrastructure-led growth, and limited upskilling programs.

The think tank stressed that strengthening local agriculture and Filipino industries is key to creating stable and decent jobs for millions of workers.