Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Philippines
Philippines: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 2.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Philippines, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Philippines is 2.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Philippines peaked at 4.1% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2023.
Philippines ranks 167th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Philippines, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.7% | — |
| 1992 | 3.8% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 3.9% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 3.6% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 3.7% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 3.8% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | -15.3% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | -14.8% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | -12.2% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -8.4% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 2.5% | +12.7% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +34.7% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | -23.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -15.3% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | +1.5% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 2.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 40% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 2.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.0%, 73% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Philippines changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +34.7% | 2.5% | 3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.4% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.2% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 3.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
More education data for Philippines
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 495,843 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 201,568 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 983,812 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.87 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 13.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.8345 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1128 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Philippines?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Philippines was 2.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 2006.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2023.
- How does Philippines rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Philippines ranks 167th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Philippines data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.