The Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) across the country being coordinated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) successfully found jobs for over 2.7 million applicants in 2024.
This is one of the direct outcomes of the strengthened job generation and facilitation thrust of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., said DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.
Based on the DOLE report, at least 2.7 million qualified applicants were placed by the PESOs last year in the different companies that partnered with them.
“Job placement also has seen significant progress, especially through our Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) nationwide,” President Marcos Jr. highlighted during his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 2024.
“PESOs have harnessed IT capabilities and improved labor-industry coordination. Collectively, they boast a job placement success rate of 98 percent,” the President added.
Strategic role of the PESO
Republic Act (R.A.) No. 8759, also called the PESO Act, states:
-[T]here shall be established in all capital towns of provinces, key cities and other strategic areas a Public Employment Service Office, hereinafter referred to as “PESO,” which shall be community-based and maintained largely by local government units (LGUs) and a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or community-based organizations (CBOs) and state universities and colleges (SUCs). The PESOs shall be linked to the regional offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for coordination and technical supervision, and to the DOLE central office to constitute the national employment service network.
The functions of the PESO include the following:
– Encourage employers to submit to the PESO on a regular basis a list of job vacancies in their respective establishments to facilitate the exchange of labor market information between job seekers and employers;
-Undertake employability enhancement trainings/seminars for job seekers, as well as those who would like to change career or enhance their employability;
-Conduct pre-employment counselling and orientation to prospective local and overseas workers;
-Conduct Jobs Fairs periodically all over the country to bring together in one venue job seekers and employers for immediate matching; and
-Conduct Livelihood and Self-Employment Bazaars.
“The Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) has become our steady arm, connecting the appropriate job seekers to vacant positions that we need to fill in to sustain the momentum of our national progress,” President Marcos Jr. underscored in his message during the 24th National PESO Congress last October.
Under the theme, “PESO: Pinatatag at Pinalakas, Tugon sa Hamon ng Bagong Pilipinas,” the event brought together PESO Managers and Job Placement Officers from 16 regions, along with local leaders, senior government officials, and policymakers to discuss various topics aimed at improving the delivery of public employment services.
The President added, “Recognizing its crucial role in our society, I welcome the 24th National PESO Congress and all the fresh insights and innovations that will transpire from this event, for these will surely help improve the quality of work across sectors.”
He acknowledged the initiative of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the PESO Managers Association of the Philippines, Inc., (PESOMAP, Inc.) to “integrate and maximize all employment facilitation services of the government to expand access to work and employment opportunities throughout the country.”
Secretary Laguesma, for his part, encouraged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity to gain new perspectives to improve the quality of employment services delivered to communities. He said, “I encourage you to engage fully, absorb these insights, and apply them to further elevate the services your PESOs provide.”
The event served as a forum for PESO managers, local government unit officials, and DOLE implementers to exchange innovative strategies for improving service delivery. It was also an opportunity for PESOMAP, as the official representative of all PESOs nationwide, to align its plans and strategies with the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 2023-2028, the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act of 2023, and the PESO Five-Point Agenda, Secretary Laguesma pointed out.
Meanwhile, DOLE partnered with the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES) and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to further improve public employment.
The Japan-WAPES Joint Project for the Philippines is designed to equip DOLE and its 1,592 Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) with advanced capacities and best practices to further enhance service delivery.
Secretary Laguesma said, “The opportunity to discuss this collaborative endeavor among DOLE, WAPES, and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is important for the Philippines. I look forward to a successful undertaking that will not only strengthen our partnership but also enhance the delivery of our employment services.”
In February 2024, DOLE, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the PESO Managers Association of the Philippines (PESOMAP) signed a memorandum of agreement for the institutionalization of PESO.
Under the agreement, the three entities will work together to establish a PESO office in each local government unit in the country and further beef up job generation and facilitation.
Grateful job finders
Jenie G. was among the job applicants who got an overseas job through the PESO in their hometown of Magpet, Cotabato in August 2024. She remarked, “Na-excite talaga ako. Natulungan ako ng PESO namin na agad akong magkatrabaho. Salamat PESO at syempre sa DOLE at kay President Marcos.”
In Obando, Bulacan, Cristina D. likewise got employed as an office assistant in one of the PESO partner companies. She said, “Thank you very much po DOLE, PESO and PBBM for this job fair. Sa wakas ay may trabaho na ako. Makakatulong na ako sa aking pamilya, lalo na sa pagpapaaral sa kapatid ko. Sana ay marami pa kayong matulungan na magkaroon ng trabaho.”
Roberto M. got hired as a maintenance officer of a trading company in Davao City after he sought assistance from their city’s PESO. He said, “Maraming salamat po, Pangulong Marcos, sa DOLE at sa PESO. Tinatanaw ko na malaking biyaya itong pagkatanggap ko sa trabaho.”
In Iloilo City, Merle C. got employed as a clerk during a job fair organized by their PESO. She said, “Ang laking tulong ng PESO. Thank you po, PESO at sa DOLE. Thank you rin po President Bongbong Marcos.”
Further strengthening and expanding the PESO
“The importance of robust public employment services was underscored during President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s State of the Nation Address last year. He lauded the contribution of PESOs to enhanced labor-industry coordination, leading to a 98 percent job placement success rate in 2024,” DOLE highlighted.
“Among the notable achievements from the previous year were the registration of 3 million job seekers, the solicitation of 5.7 million vacancies, the placement of 2.7 million job seekers in local and overseas positions, and the training of 32,000 job seekers nationwide,” it added.
Secretary Laguesma said President Marcos Jr. instructed DOLE to continue further strengthening and expanding PESOs, to reach job seekers residing even in remote communities.
“This way, we will be able to contribute more to the thrust of the Marcos Jr. administration to ensure jobs for our countrymen,” the DOLE chief emphasized.
