Manila: The government will double its efforts to open more employment opportunities for Filipinos, Malaca±ang said on Tuesday. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro expressed elation over the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) latest report about the higher employment rate in the country in February 2025.
According to Philippines News Agency, Castro highlighted the significance of the increased employment rate, stating that it reflects the government’s effective measures in alleviating poverty. Castro noted, “Good news po iyan. Kung tumaas po ang employment rate, ang ibig sabihin ay maganda po ang nagiging pamamalakad ng gobyerno para po maibsan naman din po ang kahirapan ng ilan po sa atin (That’s good news. If the employment rate increases, it means that the government is doing a good job to ease the plight of some of our countrymen).”
Castro emphasized the challenges faced by individuals in securing jobs and income, and how the government plans to sustain its efforts through various programs. She mentioned, “Dahil kapag po talagang mahihirapang kumuha ng trabaho, mahihirapan din po silang kumuha ng (Because when it’s really difficult to get a job, it will also be difficult for them to get an) income. So, itutuluy-tuloy po natin iyan dahil meron din po tayong programa para sa mga hiring na mga employee ng ating mga kababayan (So, we will continue that because we also have a program for the hiring of employees for our countrymen).”
The government is set to continue organizing job fairs nationwide, targeting jobless Filipinos, especially graduating beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Castro indicated that these graduates might be hired on the spot at job fairs organized by the Department of Labor and Employment.
On April 4, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reiterated the government’s commitment to assisting Filipino job hunters and nano-entrepreneurs. The unemployment rate in the country further dropped to 3.8 percent in February 2025 from 4.3 percent in January 2025, marking the lowest rate since December 2024’s 3.1 percent, based on PSA’s latest Labor Force Survey results.
Data from the PSA revealed a decline in the number of unemployed Filipinos to 1.94 million from 2.16 million in January this year. The employment rate rose to 96.2 percent in February 2025 from 95.7 percent in January 2025. Additionally, the number of employed Filipinos increased to 49.15 million, surpassing the 48.49 million recorded in January this year and 48.95 million in February 2024.
