MANILA, Philippines—President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s foreign visits have led to the creation of more than 200,000 jobs for Filipinos, according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.

Laguesma said the initial job openings were generated in key industries such as power, renewable energy, and electronics manufacturing. 

He added that approximately 201 investment-led projects, valued at over US$76 billion (P4 trillion), resulted from the President’s international engagements since taking office.

The Labor chief assured that the government remains committed to securing more investments and expanding employment opportunities.

“Nagtutuloy-tuloy po, hindi lamang siguro masasabi natin na instant, nandidiyan na dahil nga may proseso na dinadaan. Pero given the instruction na follow-through these commitments, we will be able to know what actually would make them really put in the promised investment para makalikha ng karagdagang trabaho,” Laguesma said in a briefing Monday.

To support employment efforts, DOLE recently partnered with JobStreet to conduct a job fair, which drew around 18,000 job seekers, including fresh graduates and experienced professionals.

Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported that the Philippine labor market remained stable at the end of 2024, with improved job quality.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country’s unemployment rate stood at 3.1 percent in December 2024, maintaining its level from the previous year. The underemployment rate improved to 10.9 percent, down from 11.9 percent in December 2023, indicating that fewer workers were seeking additional employment.

However, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) slightly declined to 65.1 percent from 66.6 percent a year earlier. Among the youth, the LFPR dropped to 31.9 percent from 34.5 percent, with schooling and training cited as primary reasons. 

Female labor force participation also fell to 54.7 percent from 56.3 percent, as more women identified household responsibilities as a barrier to employment.