(UPDATE) UNEMPLOYMENT picked up in April and job quality also worsened, data released by the government on Thursday showed.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country's jobless rate rose for a second straight month to 4.0 percent from 3.9 percent in March.

This translated to some 2.04 million unemployed Filipinos, 40,000 more than the previous month.

Meanwhile, underemployment — which counts those looking for more work or an extra job — surged to 14.6 percent from 11.0 percent in March.

The underemployed were estimated to number 7.04 million.

A year earlier, unemployment was higher at 4.5 percent while underemployment was lower at 12.0 percent

The employment rate fell to 96.0 percent from 96.1 percent in March but was higher than April 2023's 95.5 percent.

The number of individuals with jobs reached 48.36 million, lower than March's 49.15 million but up from the year-earlier 48.06 million.

The Labor Force Participation Rate — an estimate of the number of people actively engaged in the workforce — registered at 64.1 percent, lower than March's 65.3 percent and April 2023's 65.1 percent.

The services sector continued to account for the largest share of jobs at 61.4 percent, followed by agriculture and industry at 20.3 percent and 18.3 percent, respectively.

Wage and salary workers comprised the bulk of those with jobs at 63.6 percent, followed by the self-employed without any paid employee (27.9 percent), unpaid family workers (6.5 percent) and those employed in family-operated farms or businesses (2.1 percent).

Private sector workers accounted for 78.7 percent of wage and salary workers, followed by those employed by the government or state-owned firms at 14.0 percent.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan acknowledged the challenges presented by the latest labor numbers and said that the government remained committed to investing in more high-quality jobs.

Job quality actually improved, he claimed, citing an increase in middle-skilled occupations of about 1.3 million and full-time employment of 6.1 million.

"The government's massive infrastructure push is expected to create opportunities in several priority sectors, such as energy, logistics and tourism," Balisacan added.

"The government will also explore opportunities for quality job growth in the mining sector, leveraging available technologies to develop value-adding activities such as mineral processing," he said.

Balisacan cited Executive Order 59, signed on April 30, which aims to expedite the implementation of flagship infrastructure projects and improve the ease of doing business in the country.

He also said that the government was drafting the Trabaho Para sa Bayan plan, which will serve as the country's employment generation and recovery blueprint.

"The government aims to assist Filipino workers in the digital age," he continued.

"Initiatives include reducing job search duration, upskilling the workforce and facilitating the transition toward higher-income jobs," Balisacan said.