Over 5.8 million individuals aged 15 years old and over are economically active in April 2023

Sixty-four in every 100 persons or over 5.8 million individuals aged 15 years old and over were economically active and in the labor force in April 2023. Eight regions, including Central Luzon, registered lower Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) than the national rate of 65.1 percent. Caraga posted the highest LFPR at 75.9 percent followed by Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) at 72.9 percent and 70.6 percent, respectively. On the other hand, Bicol Region (Region V) remained to have the lowest LFPR at 61.1 percent.
(See Figure 1)

Central Luzon’s employment rate decreased to 95.3 percent
Employment rate or the proportion of employed persons to the total labor force in Central Luzon was recorded at 95.3 percent in April 2023, accounting to 5.6 million employed persons out of 5.8 million economically active population aged 15 years old and over. This was lower by 0.4 percentage point from 95.7 percent in January 2023. (See Table A)

Central Luzon ranked 13th among regions with the highest employment rate in April 2023. Cagayan Valley (Region II) recorded the highest employment rate at 97.6 percent, followed by Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) at 97.3 percent each. Meanwhile, CALABARZON (Region IV-A) registered the lowest employment rate at 94.5 percent.
(See Figure 2)

Unemployment rate in Central Luzon recorded at 4.7 percent
Central Luzon’s unemployment rate increased to 4.7 percent in April 2023, higher by 0.4 percentage point from 4.3 percent in January 2023. This translates to 273.6 thousand unemployed persons out of 5.8 million economically active population aged 15 years old and over.

Cagayan Valley (Region II) registered the lowest unemployment rate in April 2023 at 2.4 percent followed by CAR at 2.7 percent. Meanwhile, CALABARZON (Region IV-A) had the highest unemployment rate at 5.5 percent.

Furthermore, five regions, including Central Luzon, recorded unemployment rates higher than the national rate of 4.5 percent. (See Figure 3)

Underemployment rate rose to 11.6 percent

Underemployment rate was posted at 11.6 percent of the total employed persons in the region in April 2023. This was higher by 5.1 percentage points from 6.5 percent in January 2023. In terms of magnitude, underemployed persons were estimated at 647.2 thousand persons. Underemployed persons refer to employed persons who expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or have a new job with longer working hours.

Central Luzon ranked 7th among regions with the lowest underemployment rate. Central Visayas (Region VII) recorded the lowest underemployment rate at 6.8 percent followed by National Capital Region (NCR) at 7.9 percent.

On the other hand, SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) remained to have the highest underemployment rate in April 2023 at 29.2 percent. This was followed by Bicol Region (Region V) and Caraga with 25.1 percent and 19.4 percent, respectively. (See Figure 4)

TECHNICAL NOTES

The Labor Force Survey (LFS) is a nationwide monthly survey of households conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to gather data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population.
The reference period for this survey is "past week" or the past seven (7) days preceding the date of visit of the enumerator or field interviewer.

The concepts and definitions used in the survey can be found in PSA-ISH Bulletins. Some are given below:

Labor Force refers to the population 15 years old and over who contribute or seek to contribute to the production of goods and services as defined in the system of National Account production boundary. It comprises the employed and unemployed.

Employed refers to persons in the labor force who are reported either as at work or with a job or business although not at work. Persons at work are those who did some work, even for an hour during the reference period.

Unemployed refers to persons in the labor force who are reported as:
1) without work;
2) currently available for work; and
3) seeking work or not seeking work due to the following reasons:
     i) tired/believed that no work is available, or
     ii) awaiting results of previous job application, or
     iii) because of temporary illness or disability, or
     iv) bad weather, or
     v) waiting for rehire or job recall.
The new definition of unemployed was adopted starting April 2005 per NSCB Resolution No. 15 dated October 20, 2004.
The old definition of unemployed considered only two criteria:
1)  Without work and looking for work; or
2)  Without work and not looking for work due to reasons cited in 3(i) to 3(v).

Underemployed refers to employed persons who express the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or an additional job, or have a new job with longer working hours.

Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is the proportion of total labor force to the total household population 15 years and over.

Employment Rate is the proportion of employed persons to the total labor force.

Unemployment Rate is the proportion of unemployed persons to the total labor force.

Underemployment Rate is the proportion of underemployed persons to total employed persons.