BAGUIO CITY – Only 17 Public Employment Service Office (PESO) units were fully institutionalized in their respective local government units (LGUs) out of the 84 LGUs in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
This was revealed by the Cordillera Office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-CAR) OIC Regional Director, Exequiel Ronie A. Guzman during the 3-day Yearly PESO Assessment conducted for CAR on January 11-13, 2017 at the Leisure Coast Resort, Bonuan, Dagupan, Pangasinan. He said that despite the issuance of DOLE ‘s Department Order no. 157-16 series of 2016 issuing the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 8759, otherwise known as the Public Employment Service Office Act of 1999, as amended by Republic Act number 10691, exempting the LGUs from the personnel services limitation in the initial creation of PESO manager positions, the newly elected Sangguniang Bayan and Panlalawigan still were not able to enact the necessary ordinance and include this in their respective 2017 budget.
If PESO is to be institutionalized in the LGUs, it will be a separate office or directly under the mayor or governor as the case maybe, staffed by a PESO manager with his/her staff. It will have its own office budget and shall be the official link of BLE and DOLE to the local chief executive of the local unit, Guzman added.
Under the amended PESO Act, PESO shall be institutionalized in the municipal and provincial local government units with the objective of providing a venue for clients could avail simultaneously various employment services, such as Labor Market Information(LMI) referrals, training, and entrepreneurial reintegration. It serves also as referral and information center for the DOLE and other government agencies by making available data and information on their respective programs. It will also be an established linkage of other PESOs for job exchange and other employment related services.
Six popular programs of DOLE being implemented through the PESO Managers are the Special Program for the Employment of Students(SPES) or locally known as the Summer Job for students, the Government Internship Program(GIP), and the Tulong Pangkabuhayan para sa Disadvantage Worker (TUPAD), the Livelihood Program, Career Coaching, and Job Fairs.
The SPES is a unique scholarship program for poor but deserving students. Students would work for a pay intended to help them pursue their studies. Under this program, LGUs hire students at 60 percent of the salary and DOLE will assume the 40 percent.
This payment scheme was revised so that the hiring 6th-class LGUs will pay 25 percent of the salary, 40 percent for fifth class municipalities while fourth class municipalities and sixth class provinces will pay 50 percent. The first to third class municipalities and first to fifth class provinces will maintain the old payment scheme 60 to 40 percent.
The Government Internship Program(GIP) is strongly supported by the six Cordillera representatives because it provides six-month employment to out-of-school youth, especially fresh graduates whose main problem in applying for work is the lack of work experience. The GIP beneficiaries are recruited by DOLE and dispatched to the different PESOs and PESO managers will dispatch them to the different offices and agencies within the area of responsibility for work. PESO Managers closely monitor them and submit reports to DOLE.
The TUPAD, like the GIP, is also well supported by the congressmen. Under this program, PESO managers are tasked to submit project proposals for its implementation. The Punong Barangay monitors the work activities of the workers and sign their daily time records and submit picture documentation of the work activity and accomplishments.
The Livelihood Program is supported by Congress representatives by appropriating funding and the role of PESOs here are to assist the organizations with their project proposals.
Aside from providing employment coaching to jobseekers, the PESOs are also tasked to do career coaching to graduating high school students.
Job Fairs. Heard about it? Peso managers take the initiative to organize Job Fairs pursuant to DOLE guidelines. They also facilitate local recruitment/special recruitment in coordination with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and in accordance with the existing laws, rules, and regulations.
By Gabriel Moguet
