MANILA -- The agriculture sector generated more than 500,000 jobs as the country recorded increased labor participation based on December employment rate data.

In a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Socioeconomic planning Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said labor force participation went up in the country as shown in the December 2023 data.

“Iyong pinakamalaking job creation ay sa industry – almost 900,000 po iyong sa industry; followed by agriculture mga lampas 500,000 iyon; and then iyong sa services mga 100,000,” said Edillon of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“So, this is exactly the kind of profile na we want na mas marami talaga iyong manggagaling sa industry,” she pointed out.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) December 2023 Labor Force Survey, the agriculture and industry sectors accounted for 24.4 percent and 18.3 percent of the employed persons, respectively.

Agriculture and forestry are at the top five sub-sectors in terms of annual increase in the number of employed persons in December 2023, accounting 715,000 employment.

Construction accounts for 777,000; accommodation and food service activities, 498,000; transportation and storage, 174,000; and Human health and social work activities, 140,000.

As to month-on-month changes in the number of employed persons in December 2023, agriculture and forestry recorded 300,000 employed individuals, the PSA data showed. (PND)