In 2025: CV employment drops, unemployment rises

CEBU, Philippines — Central Visayas recorded a lower employment rate and a higher unemployment rate in 2025 compared with 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority - Regional Statistical Services Office VII.

The latest data was released during a Regional Dissemination Forum on Key Indicators of the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and labor statistics in Central Visayas on May 21 at a hotel in Cebu City, with Wilma Perante, Director II and Officer-in-Charge of RSSO VII, leading the presentation.

In terms of employment, 2.93 million individuals in Central Visayas were reported as employed in 2025, lower by around 25,000 compared to the 2.95 million recorded in 2024.

The employment rate declined to 96.2 percent from 96.9 percent in the previous year, equivalent to about 96 employed persons for every 100 individuals in the labor force.

Meanwhile, the number of unemployed individuals rose to 115,000 in 2025 from 94,000 recorded in 2024.

This translated to an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent, higher than the 3.1 percent posted in the previous year, or about 38 unemployed individuals for every 1,000 persons aged 15 years old and over.

On underemployment, 184,000 employed individuals expressed the desire for additional work hours, another job, or a job with longer working hours in 2025. This was lower than the 208,000 recorded in 2024.

The underemployment rate likewise improved to 6.3 percent from 7.0 percent in the previous year.

According to PSA data, the labor force participation rate in Central Visayas dropped to 63.9 percent in 2025 from 64.7 percent in 2024.

Among individuals aged 15 and above, 3.04 million were recorded as part of the labor force in the region in 2025, slightly lower than the 3.05 million logged in 2024.

By sex, men continued to register a higher labor force participation rate at 72.4 percent, compared to 55.4 percent among women.

Employment rates were also slightly higher among men at 97.8 percent, while women posted 96.7 percent.

However, unemployment among men was estimated at 4.2 percent, higher than the 3.3 percent recorded among women.

Underemployment among men also reached 7.2 percent, higher than the 5.2 percent registered among women in 2025.

In Central Visayas, the City of Lapu-Lapu registered the highest labor force participation rate among provinces and highly urbanized cities at 67.3 percent, while Cebu City posted the lowest at 60.1 percent.

Meanwhile, in terms of employment rate in 2025, Mandaue City recorded the highest rate at 97.2 percent, while Lapu-Lapu City registered the lowest at 94.7 percent.

For unemployment, Lapu-Lapu City recorded the highest unemployment rate at 5.3 percent, whereas Mandaue City posted the lowest at 2.8 percent.

In terms of underemployment, Bohol posted the highest underemployment rate and Cebu City recorded the lowest among areas in the region.

Across major industry groups in 2025, the services sector remained the region’s largest source of employment, accounting for 64.9 percent or about 1.90 million employed individuals, followed by the industry sector with a 19.5 percent share or 569,000 workers, and the agriculture sector with 15.7 percent or around 458,000 individuals engaged in agricultural activities and businesses.

Among sub-sectors, agriculture and forestry posted the highest increase in employment, rising from 332,000 workers in 2024 to 371,000 in 2025, while manufacturing registered the largest decline, dropping from 314,000 workers in 2024 to 265,000 in 2025.

Perante also presented data on the average number of hours worked per week by employed individuals and those engaged in business activities in 2025.

Data showed that 31.8 percent of employed persons worked less than 40 hours per week in 2025, higher than the 28.7 percent recorded in 2024, while 66.2 percent worked 40 hours or more per week, lower than the 70.3 percent posted in the previous year. The remaining 2.1 percent were employed persons who were unable to report for work due to reasons such as sick leave or vacation.

The average number of hours worked per week in 2025 was estimated at 40.2 hours, lower than the 41.5-hour average recorded in 2024.

Among wage and salary workers, employees in private establishments accounted for the largest share at 1.56 million or 80.0 percent in 2025, slightly lower than the 80.3 percent share recorded in 2024, and workers receiving pay in family-operated farms or businesses comprised the smallest group, totaling around 4,000 workers or 0.22 percent in 2025, compared to 0.23 percent in 2024.

The data presentation also highlighted labor force participation among youth aged 15 to 24 years old.

In Central Visayas, around 370,000 youth, or 30.9 percent, were part of the labor force in 2025, lower than the 380,000 youth or 31.8 percent recorded in 2024.

In terms of employment, about 372,000 youth aged 15 to 24, or 88.3 percent were employed or engaged in business in 2025, lower than the 90.4 percent employment rate recorded in 2024. — Marjorey B. Cantila and Sofhia Grace Neri, CNU Interns/MRM