The labor committee of the House of Representatives has approved a measure that aims to improve the access of job seekers to employment and livelihood opportunities by expanding the role of local government units in operating Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) nationwide.
The committee on labor and employment, chaired by Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles of the National Unity Party (NUP), said House Bill 4275 aims to strengthen the network of public employment offices and rationalize the participation of the private sector in the recruitment and placement of workers through the establishment of PESOs in cities and municipalities.
Nograles, who represents Davao City’s 3rd district, is the vice president for internal affairs of the NUP.
HB 4275 is a consolidation of the bills filed by Representatives Linabelle Ruth Villarica of Bulacan and Emmeline Aglipay of Diwa partylist, which both seek to amend certain provisions of Republic Act 8759, also known as the PESO Act of 1999.
According to the bill’s authors, amending RA 8759 by defining the establishment of PESOs by LGUs and allowing the local governments to maintain and operate them will significantly help match skills to available jobs and, thus, improve the country’s employment picture.
Nograles said the consolidated measure reevaluates the law governing PESOs to make it more responsive to present-day challenges and improve their efficiency in facilitating job opportunities for Filipinos.
While LGUs will play a key role in matching job openings to the manpower and skills available in their respective jurisdictions, Nograles said these efforts must still be done in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment through its regional offices.
Hence, under HB 4275, the PESOs set up by the LGUs shall be linked to the DOLE regional offices for coordination and technical supervision, and to the DOLE central office to constitute the national public employment service network, he said.
The measure also states that upon the request of a non-government organization (NGO) or state university or college (SUC), the DOLE may enter into a Memorandum of Agreement for the NGO or SUC to establish, operate and maintain a job placement office.
Nograles said the job placement office operated by the NGO or SUC should coordinate their activities with the nearest PESO, as provided under the bill.
The LGUs shall include in their regular annual budget the funding support for the establishment, operation and maintenance of the PESO, while the DOLE will finance the
the transfer of technical assistance, training and supervision of personnel who will man the public employment offices, the bill states.