MONTALBAN, Rizal (PIA) – Students and youth leaders who are preparing to join the workforce are hopeful that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has provided them with valuable knowledge about government programs that will assist them in entering the job market.
Organized by the Philippine Information Agency – Calabarzon, the Rizal leg of the Bagong Calabarzon Barangay Forum catered to the youth sector who will soon be entering the workforce as first-time job seekers.
In partnership with the DOLE provincial office in Rizal, the Municipal Government of Montalban through its Local Youth Development Office (LYDO), Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and the residents of Barangay San Jose, the forum in Rizal highlighted the importance of helping the youth access government services efficiently.
Joanne Apao, Montalban Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation President, said she is hopeful that the Bagong Calabarzon Barangay Forum will help encourage her peers to take part in local governance.
“The Bagong Calabarzon Barangay Forum is a good platform to reach us, the youth, to grow our knowledge and encourage government participation among our peers.”
Apao added: “Participation is one of the cornerstones of good governance, and it provides a medium for the youth to express themselves.”
Barangay San Isidro, where Apao resides, has formed youth organizations in every homeowners’ association that will help them bring government programs closer to the community.
“We will tap these youth organizations to help us spread the knowledge from today’s forum. I think we can spread this faster among Montalban’s youth because we already have organizations who will focus on this,” she added.
Discussions focused on government programs aimed to help first-time job seekers and fresh graduates prepare for entry into the workforce, and workers rights and privileges under the General Labor Standards, Mental Health Awareness, Safe Spaces Act, Youth Employability Programs, and the First Time Job Seekers Act.
Abigail Gilpo, Senior Labor and Employment Officer of DOLE Rizal stated that employers are now being expected to prioritize mental health programs in the workplace, particularly for younger employees.
“More youngsters are experiencing mental health problems. This is true, especially among Gen Z’s who are more aware of their surroundings, especially due to social media.”
Gilpo added: “Gen Z is more aware of their surroundings, especially due to social media. For example, when there is war or issues [in the country or abroad], you see all of it posted online.”
Expected to make rounds in the region’s five provinces, the Bagong Calabarzon Barangay Forum aims to address the issues present in grassroots communities, providing residents a platform to properly and directly engage with concerned government agencies. (PB/PIA-4A)
