‘Rising number of unemployed grads troubling’

MANILA, Philippines — There is a “troubling increase” in the number of Filipino college graduates who are unemployed, according to the Commission on Higher Education.

CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said the June 2025 Labor Force Survey by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed a 2.6-percentage-point increase in the number of unemployed college graduates from the 35.6 percent in December 2024.

“This troubling increase reveals that our most educated citizens—those who have invested significant time and resources into higher education—are encountering growing difficulties in finding employment,” Agrupis said in her speech during the INNOTECH Seminar Series on Education, Innovation and Technology in Quezon City.

Agrupis said that the problem goes beyond unemployment numbers.

“Even when job opportunities exist, there is a persistent mismatch between available jobs and graduates’ skills,” she noted.

She cited the DOLE’s nationwide job fairs held in January 2025 where only 3,364 out of 25,876 job seekers were hired and the majority were placed in low-skilled roles that do not require a college degree.

“While the Philippine Statistics Authority reports that overall unemployment eased to 3.7 percent in June 2025—the lowest since December 2025—and underemployment remains relatively low, these averages mask deeper structural issues. Graduates are struggling to secure jobs aligned with their qualifications, while industries face shortages of the skilled workers they need,” Agrupis said.

Agrupis said that the mismatch is further highlighted by the December 2023 Social Weather Survey, which showed adult joblessness was highest among college graduates at 22.1 percent, compared to 20.8 percent for junior high graduates, 20.3 percent for elementary graduates, and only 8.7 percent among those who did not complete elementary education.

“Looking regionally, the ASEAN context offers both encouragement and urgency. The Philippines successfully reduced unemployment from 4.4 percent in 2023 to 3.8 percent in 2024, surpassing Indonesia, yet still trailing behind Malaysia, with 3.3 percent; Vietnam, 2.3 percent; Singapore, 1.9 percent; and Thailand, 1.1 percent,” she added.

“These figures highlight that while we are making progress, our neighbors have not only achieved lower unemployment rate but also stronger alignment between workforce skills and job requirements,” Agrupis said.

She said that the challenge ahead is clear that the country must sustain this progress while ensuring that the jobs available match the skills of the graduates.

“Our employment figures reflect not just jobs filled, but meaningful and productive work. This is precisely why CHED is advancing reforms that place innovation and equity at the core of Philippine higher education. Our goal is to make education not just a ticket to opportunity, but a guarantee of meaningful and sustainable employment for all graduates,” she noted.

Agrupis said that during his 4th State of the Nation Address, President Marcos reaffirmed education as a cornerstone of his administration.

“He emphasized the need to align our educational system with the demands of a changing world, and here in CHED, we take that call seriously. We cannot afford to treat it lightly—especially when we face persistent challenges such as unemployment and the alarming mismatch between graduates’ skills and industry needs,” Agrupis said.

She said the mismatch is further highlighted by the December 2023 Social Weather Survey, which showed adult joblessness was highest among college graduates at 22.1 percent, compared to 20.8 percent for junior high graduates, 20.3 percent for elementary gradu- ates, and only 8.7 percent among those who did not complete el- ementary education