Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines
Philippines: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 49.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines, 1960–2023
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines stood at 49.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines peaked at 51.7% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 13.7%, in 1980.
Philippines ranks 123rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 27.2% | — |
| 1970 | 34.0% | +25.0% |
| 1975 | 24.5% | -28.0% |
| 1976 | 26.1% | +6.7% |
| 1978 | 46.8% | +79.3% |
| 1980 | 13.7% | -70.8% |
| 1983 | 50.1% | +267.0% |
| 1985 | 47.9% | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 48.3% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 47.9% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 47.3% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 47.5% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 47.0% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 47.8% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 47.8% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 47.3% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 49.0% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 49.0% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 49.3% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 50.0% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 48.4% | -3.2% |
| 2001 | 46.8% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 51.7% | +10.5% |
| 2003 | 46.2% | -10.6% |
| 2004 | 45.8% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 46.4% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 46.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 46.4% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 45.8% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 46.5% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 46.7% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 47.5% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 47.0% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 46.8% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 47.5% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 46.9% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 43.5% | -6.5% |
| 2018 | 44.0% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 45.0% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 41.4% | -8.1% |
| 2021 | 42.9% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 49.0% | +14.2% |
| 2023 | 49.9% | +1.7% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 49.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 52.2%, 96% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 49.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.1%, 92% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +267.0% | 13.7% | 50.1% |
| 1978 | +79.3% | 26.1% | 46.8% |
| 1980 | -70.8% | 46.8% | 13.7% |
| 1975 | -28.0% | 34.0% | 24.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.2% | 27.2% | 27.2% | 1 |
| 1970s | 32.8% | 24.5% | 46.8% | 4 |
| 1980s | 42.5% | 13.7% | 50.1% | 6 |
| 1990s | 48.4% | 47.0% | 50.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.0% | 45.8% | 51.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.1% | 43.5% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.8% | 41.4% | 49.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
More work & labour data for Philippines
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.6532 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5998 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7053 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.7536 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 93,465 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 57,828 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 57,691 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 56,530 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 114,222 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Philippines was 49.9% in 2023, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 51.7% in 2002.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.7% in 1980.
- How does Philippines rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Philippines ranks 123rd out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Philippines data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.