Photo credit: DOLE

Looks like the holiday job rush is officially over. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the number of jobless Filipinos spiked to 2.16 million in January 2025—up by a whopping 530,000 from December’s 1.63 million. That pushed the country’s unemployment rate to 4.3 percent, the highest in six months and a sharp jump from December’s 3.1 percent.

So, what happened? Well, a lot of seasonal jobs that popped up during the Christmas shopping frenzy likely disappeared, leaving many without work. This isn’t exactly surprising, but it does show how much the economy still relies on short-term employment boosts.

More People Looking for Extra Work

It’s not just unemployment that’s up—more Filipinos are also struggling to make ends meet. The underemployment rate (which tracks those who have jobs but need more hours or an extra gig) climbed to 13.3 percent in January, up from 10.9 percent in December. That means 6.47 million people were on the hunt for additional work, reflecting growing financial pressure.

The Bigger Picture

Even with the job losses, the total number of employed Filipinos still stood at 48.49 million in January—higher than January 2024’s 45.90 million but down from December’s 50.19 million. The services sector continues to be the biggest employer, making up 61.6 percent of all jobs, while agriculture and industry followed at 21.1 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively.

What’s Next?

While job numbers typically fluctuate at the start of the year, the sharp rise in unemployment and underemployment suggests that many Filipinos are feeling the pinch. Whether new opportunities arise in the coming months will depend on how different industries adjust after the holiday season slump.