Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Philippines
Philippines: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ was 60.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Philippines, 1960–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Philippines is 60.2%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Philippines peaked at 66.2% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 29.5%, in 1980.
That places Philippines 120th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Philippines, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 54.6% | — |
| 1970 | 55.3% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 35.8% | -35.2% |
| 1976 | 37.0% | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 63.9% | +72.7% |
| 1980 | 29.5% | -53.9% |
| 1983 | 64.3% | +118.4% |
| 1985 | 63.9% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 65.7% | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 65.4% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 64.6% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 64.5% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 65.0% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 64.7% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 64.4% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 65.6% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 65.8% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 65.5% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 66.0% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 65.8% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 64.3% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 60.6% | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 66.2% | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 60.1% | -9.2% |
| 2004 | 60.4% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 60.4% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 59.8% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 59.4% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 59.7% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 59.7% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 60.4% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 59.9% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 59.6% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 60.2% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 59.4% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 59.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 57.4% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 57.3% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 57.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 53.4% | -7.6% |
| 2021 | 55.2% | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 60.1% | +8.9% |
| 2023 | 60.4% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 60.2% | -0.4% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 60.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 62.4%, 97% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 60.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 63.1%, 95% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ 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 | +118.4% | 29.5% | 64.3% |
| 1978 | +72.7% | 37.0% | 63.9% |
| 1980 | -53.9% | 63.9% | 29.5% |
| 1975 | -35.2% | 55.3% | 35.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.6% | 54.6% | 54.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 48.0% | 35.8% | 63.9% | 4 |
| 1980s | 58.9% | 29.5% | 65.7% | 6 |
| 1990s | 65.2% | 64.4% | 66.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.1% | 59.4% | 66.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.1% | 57.3% | 60.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.9% | 53.4% | 60.4% | 5 |
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 labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Philippines?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Philippines was 60.2% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 66.2% in 2002.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.5% in 1980.
- How does Philippines rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Philippines ranks 120th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Philippines data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.