Labor force participation of older persons in the Philippines: trends, patterns and correlates

Mae Abigail Oberos, Philippine Statistics Authority
Jeofrey B. Abalos, Australian National University

Using the 2000 and 2010 Philippines Labor Force Survey, this paper aims to examine trends, patterns and correlates of labor force participation of older persons in the Philippines. Filipino older persons remain active in the labor force, particularly the currently married and those with lower levels of education. Moreover, the labor force participation of older men and women in the Philippines declines with advancing age. Majority of older men work in agriculture, while most older women work in the services sector. Old age and disability prevent Filipino older persons from seeking work. Though Filipino older persons work around 6 to 7 hours per day, a significant proportion of them still wanted to work for more hours. A significant proportion of them also worked more than the normal working hours, largely because of the desire to have more earnings. The continuing participation of the Filipino at older ages presents some opportunities and challenges. For one, their active participation in the labor force means that they continue to be economically independent and, to some extent, are able to meet their basic needs. One potential challenge, however, is how to expand the labor market in order to accommodate the increasing number older and younger members of the labor force.