THE labor force in the Cordillera region declined by around 10,000 workers in 2025, particularly in the retail and mining sectors, due to the slowdown in economic growth, according to the latest Labor Force Survey presented during a forum on Thursday, May 21.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Cordillera posted a labor force participation rate of 832,000 or 63.8 percent in 2025, lower than the 842,000 or 65 percent recorded in 2024.
The labor force participation rate refers to the percentage of citizens who are either employed or actively looking for work.
Despite the decline, the Cordillera still recorded the highest employment rate in the country at 97.3 percent, equivalent to around 810,000 workers in 2025.
The Davao Region followed with 97.1 percent, while Cagayan Valley posted 96.9 percent.
The Cordillera also registered the country’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.7 percent in 2025.
However, the number of unemployed individuals in the region still increased by 2,000 — from 21,000 in 2024 to 23,000 last year.
Meanwhile, around 95,000 workers or 11.7 percent of the labor force were considered underemployed in 2025, slightly lower than the 106,000 or 12.9 percent recorded in 2024.
Underemployed workers are those who already have jobs but are seeking additional working hours or extra sources of income.
The PSA explained that this means 12 out of every 100 workers or self-employed individuals in the region still lack sufficient income or working hours.
The survey results also reflected the slower economic growth in the Cordillera in 2025. The region’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) grew by only 4.4 percent, equivalent to P394.96 billion worth of goods and services, lower than the 4.9 percent growth posted in 2024.
The construction sector recorded a negative growth of 1.6 percent, while the mining sector declined by 2.5 percent in 2025.
As a result, around 3,900 mining workers lost their jobs, while the number of managers and manual laborers also decreased due to fewer construction projects in the region.
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