Caraga: The underemployment rate in Caraga Region fell to 13.9 percent in October last year, from 20.8 percent three months earlier, according to the Department of Labor and Employment-Caraga (DOLE-13) Employment Status 2025 shared on Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, this was the result of improved job satisfaction and better alignment between workers' skills and available opportunities, DOLE-13 said in a news release. Caraga's underemployment rate rose steadily, peaking at 20.8 percent in July 2025, suggesting that although employment opportunities were available, many workers were dissatisfied with job quality and often resorted to part-time work or additional income sources due to insufficient earnings, the agency said.

DOLE explained that underemployment occurs when an employed person desires more hours, a new job with longer hours, or a job that better utilizes their skills, driven by the desire for greater income. The region's unemployment rate also dropped to 4.2 percent in October from 5.1 percent in July, suggesting that opportunities stabilized and business activities improved. As a result, the employment rate rose to 95.8 percent in October from 94.9 percent in July.

Meanwhile, DOLE-13 reported that the Public Employment Service Office's Employment Information System recorded 20,520 jobseekers during the fourth quarter of 2025. Most of the jobseekers recorded during the period were from Surigao del Norte (9,764) and the Dinagat Islands (4,528). The report added that 11.15 percent of the registered job seekers were youth, while the vulnerable sectors included 0.03 percent of persons with disabilities and 4.84 percent senior citizens.

Additionally, the Special Program for Employment of Students served 4,043 beneficiaries in the region, 97 percent of whom were students and 2.02 percent were out-of-school youth, disbursing PHP19 million in funding. The JobStart Philippines Program, a government initiative to help unemployed youth (18-24 years) become job-ready through career coaching, life and technical skills training, served 255 beneficiaries in Agusan del Sur and Surigao City, Surigao del Norte during the last quarter through a 10-day soft/core skills training program.

Of the total number of beneficiaries, 102 advanced to technical training while 101 proceeded to internship opportunities. The program's placement rate reached 75 percent, surpassing its 60 percent target, clearly proving its effectiveness in bridging youth to employment and upskilling initiatives, the DOLE-13 said. Almost PHP2.6 million in stipends and training grants were released to Agusan del Sur, and some PHP2.3 million were allocated in Surigao City under the program.