Out of the estimated 57.7 million population 15 years old and over in April 2008, 36.5 million were in the labor force. This placed the labor force participation rate (LFPR) at 63.2 percent, lower than last year's rate of 64.5 percent. The highest LFPR was reported in Northern Mindanao where 69.6 percent of the region's working age population were in the labor force. The lowest LFPR reported was in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at 56.4 percent.

Out of the estimated 60.2 million population 15 years old and over in January 2010, approximately 38.8 million persons were reported to be in the labor force. These figures placed the labor force participation rate (LFPR) at 64.5 percent. Last year�s LFPR was 63.3 percent. Among the regions, Northern Mindanao registered the highest LFPR at 70.3 percent and ARMM had the lowest at 59.2 percent.