ILOILO City – More people in Western Visayas are joining the labor force, but a growing number are struggling to find stable and adequate jobs, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which reported rising unemployment and underemployment despite a record 64-percent labor force participation rate in 2025.
DOLE Region 6’s 2025 Labor Market Profile showed that about 2.20 million residents aged 15 and above were either employed or actively seeking work, pushing the region’s labor force participation rate to 64 percent, slightly higher than the 63.8 percent recorded in 2024 and 63.7 percent in 2023.
However, the report revealed that employment failed to keep pace with the expanding workforce.
As of October 2025, Western Visayas posted a 94.6-percent employment rate, down from 95.1 percent in the same period last year and lower than the national average of 95.8 percent.
DOLE-6 said the region’s employment rate has steadily declined from 95.7 percent in 2023 to 94.6 percent in 2025, indicating that the labor market is gradually losing its capacity to absorb the growing number of job seekers.
While employment remains relatively high, the report noted that job creation has not been sufficient to meet the increasing demand for work.
The agency also flagged a worsening unemployment situation, with the regional unemployment rate climbing from 4.3 percent in 2023 to 4.9 percent in 2024 before reaching 5.4 percent in 2025.
According to DOLE-6, the simultaneous decline in employment and increase in unemployment point to continuing challenges in providing enough job opportunities for the region’s expanding workforce.
The agency, however, advised caution in interpreting the figures, noting that the creation of the Negros Island Region in 2025 altered the composition of Western Visayas and may have influenced the labor market indicators.
The report likewise showed a steady rise in underemployment, with the rate increasing from 13.24 percent in 2023 to 15.7 percent in 2024 and 16.3 percent in 2025.
The increase suggests that more employed workers are still seeking additional jobs, longer working hours, or better-paying employment due to insufficient income.
“While workers may be employed, the trend suggests that employment quantity may be relatively strong, but its quality and income adequacy remain issues for many workers,” DOLE-6 stated.
Despite the encouraging increase in labor force participation, DOLE-6 emphasized that the region still needs targeted policies and stronger employment initiatives to improve job quality, expand economic opportunities, and ensure that more workers gain stable and adequate sources of income./PN
