Overview of Hiring Activity
The Philippines’ online hiring activity maintained positive momentum in February 2026, with the foundit Insights Tracker rising 8% year-on-year. Month-on-month, hiring was up 4%, reflecting continued activation of annual hiring budgets and sustained recruitment across services-led sectors.
The near-term trend remains healthy — hiring is up 10% over the last 3 months and 6% over the last 6 months — supported by continued expansion in logistics, healthcare, and consumer services, alongside steady offshoring demand from global firms.
8 of the 13 industries tracked by the Index registered year-on-year growth in February 2026, with Logistics, Healthcare, and Advertising leading the charge.
Hiring Trends by Industry (YoY change)
Hiring gained momentum annually across the majority of monitored industries, with logistics, healthcare, and advertising driving growth. BPO/ITES and Education continue to face structural headwinds.
In demand
Logistics, Courier/Freight, Transportation & Shipping (+12%) The strongest industry performer. E-commerce expansion and last-mile delivery demand continue to drive elevated hiring across warehousing, transport operations, and supply chain roles.
Health Care (+8%) Persistent workforce shortages continue to support broad-based hiring for clinical and support roles across public and private healthcare settings.
Advertising, Market Research, PR, Media & Entertainment (+8%) Sustained brand investment in digital and performance marketing keeps demand for creative, content, and campaign roles firmly elevated.
Retail (+6%) Steady consumer demand and omnichannel expansion are driving manpower requirements across stores, fulfilment operations, and customer-facing roles.
BFSI (+6%) Digital banking growth, along with risk and compliance requirements, is sustaining steady hiring in financial services.
Hospitality (+5%) Steady tourism and travel activity continue to support operational staffing across guest services and hospitality functions.
IT, Telecom/ISP (+5%) Hiring remains selective, with continued investment in digital infrastructure, cloud systems, and cybersecurity keeping demand modestly positive.
Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (+5%) Ongoing infrastructure and project execution activity continues to underpin demand, with hiring positive though measured.
Consumer Goods/FMCG (+1%) Marginal growth reflects cautious but stable expansion as consumer sentiment improves gradually.
Production/Manufacturing, Automotive & Ancillary (+1%) Flat to marginal gains as firms prioritise automation and replacement over broad headcount expansion.
Facing challenges
Others (−1%) Marginal softness across mixed and niche verticals.
BPO/ITES (−17%) Ongoing automation of routine processes and a structural shift toward higher-skill roles continues to reduce overall headcount demand as companies optimise team structures rather than scale broadly.
Education (−31%) The steepest industry decline, as enrolment pressure and cost rationalisation continue to drive hiring freezes and workforce reductions across institutions.
Hiring Trends by Functional Area (YoY change)
6 out of 11 functional areas recorded year-on-year growth in February 2026. Supply chain, finance, and hospitality functions lead; sales and customer service remain under sustained pressure.
In demand
Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain (+13%) The top-performing function. Companies continue expanding warehousing, procurement, and distribution capacity in line with e-commerce and trade flow momentum.
Finance & Accounts (+9%) Organisations are strengthening financial controls, compliance, and reporting functions amid tighter cost management and growing regulatory scrutiny.
Hospitality & Travel (+8%) Steady tourism and travel activity is supporting operational staffing across guest services and travel functions.
Software, Hardware & Telecom (+6%) Continued investment in digital infrastructure, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology sustains consistent demand for tech talent.
Engineering/Production, Real Estate (+3%) Positive demand aligns with ongoing project execution and maintenance requirements across construction and infrastructure-linked roles.
Marketing & Communications (+2%) Marginal growth reflects stable but selective demand as spend stays performance-driven and focused on measurable outcomes.
Facing challenges
Health Care Roles (−2%) Slight softness at the role level — despite the broader healthcare industry growing — suggests demand is concentrated in specific sub-functions.
Others (−2%) Marginal softness across miscellaneous functional categories.
Customer Service (−10%) Sustained weakness as automation tools, AI-driven self-service platforms, and efficiency mandates continue to reduce demand for large support teams.
HR & Admin (−10%) Organisations continue to consolidate shared services and automate routine people and administrative processes.
Sales & Business Development (−15%) The steepest functional decline, reflecting continued caution in expanding frontline commercial capacity as companies prioritise productivity and channel efficiency over headcount growth.
