Even before the onset of the global financial crisis, the Philippines had already one of the highest unemployment rates in the Southeast Asian region. As of October 2008, some 2.5 million (6.8%) Filipino workers were unemployed, while another 6 million (17.5%) were underemployed, according to the National Statistics Office.
SIMULA NOONG Oktubre 2008, mahigit limang libong overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) na ang natanggal sa trabaho at pinauwi sa Pilipinas, karamihan galing sa Taiwan, dulot ng lalo pang tumitinding pandaigdigang krisis pang-ekonomiya.