Core Viewpoint - The unemployment rate in the Philippines rose to 5.0% in October, marking an increase of 1.2 percentage points from September, with the unemployed population reaching 2.54 million [1]. Employment Data - The unemployment rate in October was 5.0%, up from 3.8% in September, with an increase of 580,000 unemployed individuals [1]. - The labor force participation rate decreased to 63.6%, down by 0.9 percentage points from September, indicating a weakening labor market [1]. Sector Analysis - The services sector employed the most individuals, with 29.46 million jobs, accounting for 60.6% of total employment [1]. - Agriculture and industry represented 21.5% and 17.9% of total employment, respectively [1]. - Employment in professional and technical activities, water supply and sewage treatment, and other service activities saw significant declines both year-on-year and month-on-month [1]. Employment Quality - The underemployment rate increased to 12.0%, rising by 0.9 percentage points from September, indicating that workers are seeking more hours or better job opportunities [1]. Youth Employment - The unemployment rate for the youth aged 15 to 24 reached 14.1%, an increase of 2.5 percentage points from September and higher than the 12.5% recorded in the same period last year [1].

Group 1 - The unemployment rate in the Philippines for March is reported at 3.9%, a slight increase of 0.1 percentage points compared to the previous month [1] - The labor force participation rate decreased to 62.9%, down 2.4 percentage points year-on-year and lower than 64.5% in February [1] - The total labor force dropped to 49.96 million from 51.15 million a year ago and 51.09 million in February, indicating a weakening labor market [1] Group 2 - The employed population in March decreased to 48.02 million, lower than 49.15 million in both the previous year and February [1] - The number of unemployed individuals in March was 1.93 million, a decrease of 70,000 from the previous year and slightly lower than 1.94 million in February [1] - The services sector accounted for the majority of employment, with 29.77 million jobs, representing 62.0% of total employment [1] Group 3 - The underemployment rate rose to 13.4% in March, up from 11.0% a year ago and 10.1% in February, indicating that 6.44 million workers are seeking more hours or better job opportunities [2] - The labor force participation rate for the 15 to 24 age group fell to 29.4% from 33.3% a year ago, while the unemployment rate for this group increased from 8.7% to 11.0%, highlighting increased pressure on youth employment [2]