Senator Sonny Angara expressed confidence on Friday that President Benigno Aquino III would immediately sign into law a bill that seeks to help jobless Filipinos especially in the rural areas amid steady unemployment situation in the country.
Both houses of Congress have recently ratified a bill expanding and strengthening the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) which serves as a venue for Filipinos to explore employment opportunities and other labor market information.
The bill also seeks to ensure the PESOs’ continued operation and sustainability with the control and supervision of local government units (LGUs) and the technical support of the Department of Labor and Employment.
Under the measure, establishments and enterprises operating in a locality must submit to the concerned LGU relevant labor market information such as present number and nature of jobs, and projection of jobs that the establishment will offer in the next five years.
“This information from the establishments and companies will be submitted to the PESO for job matching and to educational institutions for career guidance of the students. Ang PESO ang magiging pangunahing opisina sa ilalim ng lahat ng LGU na tututok para intindihin at hanapan ng solusyon ang kawalan ng trabaho ng kanilang mga nasasakupan, (PESO will be the lead office under all LGUs that will focus on analyzing and solving the lack of job opportunities within their respective areas,)” Angara said in a statement.
“Sa kabila ng ating malakas na ekonomiya, marami pa rin ang napag-iiwanan sa kahirapan at kawalan ng trabaho. Naniniwala ako na agad itong aaprubahan ng Pangulong Aquino para matulungan ang bawat mamamayan na makahanap ng trabaho at maramdaman ang ipinagmamalaking pag-unlad ng ekonomiya ng bansa,” he added.
(Despite our strong economy, many are still left behind in poverty and unemployment. I believe that President Aquino will approve this [bill] to help every citizen find employment and to feel the progress in the economy touted [by the government].)
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Angara noted that based on the July 2015 Labor Force Survey, the unemployment rate was estimated at 6.5 percent with four regions—Central Luzon (8.8%), National Capital Region (8.2%), Ilocos Region (8.2%), and CALABARZON (8%)—registering higher unemployment rates than the national figure.
“Existing PESOs in select areas have really helped minimize unemployment and underemployment. We want the success of these PESOs be replicated in all provinces, municipalities, cities and other strategic areas throughout the country,” he said.
At present, he said, there are PESOs in 75 provinces, 142 cities, and 1,374 municipalities in the country.
“Collectively, these PESOs may be credited for up to 4.45 million job placements between 2010 and 2013,” the senator said.
But in some areas, Angara said, there was an apparent failure to adequately disseminate labor market information, such as job vacancies, especially to people living in the provinces.
“The amended PESO law aims to transform the PESO into a modern public employment service intermediary that provides multi-dimensional employment facilitation services all over the country,” he further said. Maila Ager, INQUIRER.net
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