Table A-1. Key Labor and Employment Indicators 2019^f-August 2024^p

 Notes:                       
^f Estimates are final                       
^p Estimates are preliminary and may change                       
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey

Highlights of the August 2024 Labor Force Survey

1. The country’s employment rate in August 2024 was estimated at 96.0 percent. This was higher than the estimated employment rate in August 2023 at 95.6 percent and in July 2024 at 95.3 percent. (Table A-1)

   In terms of level, the number of employed persons in August 2024 was estimated at 49.15 million. This was higher than the number of employed persons in August 2023 at 48.07 million and in July 2024 at 47.70 million. (Table A)

2. The unemployment rate in August 2024 was recorded at 4.0 percent, lower than the estimated unemployment rate in August 2023 at 4.4 percent and in July 2024 at 4.7 percent. (Table A-1)

   In terms of magnitude, the number of unemployed individuals in August 2024 was registered at 2.07 million. This was lower than the estimated number of unemployed persons of 2.22 million in August 2023 and 2.38 million in July 2024. (Table A)

3. The labor force participation rate (LFPR) in August 2024 was registered at 64.8 percent, higher than the estimated LFPR in August 2023 at 64.7 percent. In July 2024, the LFPR was estimated at 63.5 percent. (Table A-1)

   The reported LFPR in August 2024 translates to a total of 51.22 million Filipinos aged 15 years old and over who were in the labor force, or those who were either employed or unemployed. The number of individuals aged 15 years old and over who were in the labor force was 50.29 million in August 2023 and 50.07 million in July 2024. (Table A)

4. On average, employed persons worked 40.7 hours per week. This was lower than the average hours worked in a week in August 2023 at 40.8 hours and in July 2024 at 41.1 hours per week. (Table A)

5. The underemployment rate in August 2024 decreased to 11.2 percent, from 11.7 percent in August 2023 and 12.1 percent in July 2024. (Table A-1)

   In terms of magnitude, 5.48 million of the 49.15 million employed individuals expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work in August 2024. (Table A)

6. By broad industry group, the services sector continued as the top sector in terms of the number of employed persons with a share of 63.3 percent ofthe 49.15 million employed persons. The agriculture and industry sectors accounted for 19.3 percent and 17.4 percent of the employed persons, respectively. (Table 1)

   The top five sub-sectors in terms of annual increase in the number of employed persons in August 2024 were the following:

   1. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (1.13 million); 
   2. Public administration and defense; compulsory social security (678 thousand);
   3. Accommodation and food service activities (537 thousand);
   4. Other service activities (380 thousand); and
   5. Transportation and storage (342 thousand).

   In contrast, the following five sub-sectors posted the highest annual decreases in the total number of employed persons:

   1. Agriculture and forestry (-1.68 million);
   2. Fishing and aquaculture (-628 thousand);
   3. Manufacturing (-306 thousand);
   4. Construction (-62 thousand); and
   5. Professional, scientific and technical activities (-31 thousand);

   (Table B)

   As to month-on-month changes in the number of employed persons in August 2024, the top five sub-sectors with the largest increase were the following:

   1. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (1.15 million);
   2. Public administration and defense; compulsory social security (351 thousand);
   3. Education (209 thousand);
   4. Transportation and storage (207 thousand); and
   5. Other service activities (172 thousand).

   On the other hand, the top five sub-sectors with the largest drop in the total number of employed persons from July 2024 to August 2024 were the following:

   1. Agriculture and forestry (-352 thousand);
   2. Fishing and aquaculture (-278 thousand);
   3. Financial and insurance activities (-130 thousand);
   4. Manufacturing (-53 thousand); and
   5. Accommodation and food service activities (-39 thousand); 

   (Table B)

7. Wage and salary workers continued to account for the largest share of employed persons with 62.4 percent of the total employed persons in August 2024. This was followed by self-employed persons without any paid employee at 28.3 percent and unpaid family workers at 6.9 percent. Employers in own family-operated farm or business had the lowest share of 2.5 percent. (Table 1)

   Among wage and salary workers, those employed in private establishments remained to have the highest share of 76.4 percent of the wage and salary workers or 47.7 percent of the total employed. This was followed by those employed in government or government-controlled corporations with a share of 16.2 percent of the wage and salary workers or 10.1 percent of the total employed. (Table 1)

8. Youth LFPR decreased to 33.2 percent, from 34.9 percent reported in August 2023 and 34.2 percent in July 2024. Youth employment rate increased to 88.0 percent, from 87.7 percent in August 2023 and 85.2 percent in   
   July 2024. (Table A)

(Sgd.) CLAIRE DENNIS S. MAPA, PhD 
Undersecretary 
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

See more at the Labor Force Survey page