APRIL 30, 2014

NR # 3452

House committee on labor & employment approves Public Employment Service Office (PESO) amendment bill
To enhance the governments role to facilitate the access of job seekers to employment opportunities, the House Committee on Labor and Employment has approved a proposal to define the role of the Department of Labor and Employment D!LE" and local government units L#$s" in the establishment and operation of the %ublic Employment &ervice !ffice %E&!"' The committee chaired by (ep' )arlo *le+ei ,ograles - rd District, Davao City" approved the proposal embodied in House .ill /012, 3hich aims to strengthen the net3ork of public employment offices and rationali4e the participation of the private sector in the recruitment and placement of 3orkers' House .ill /012 substituted H. /1 authored by (ep' Linabelle (uth 5illarica / th District, .ulacan" and H. 601 by (ep' Emmeline *glipay %arty7list, Di3a", both seeking to amend (epublic *ct 6128 other3ise kno3n as the 9%ublic Employment &ervice !ffice %E&!" *ct of :888,; by defining the establishment of %E&!s in cities and municipalities and ensuring their proper operation and maintenance through the L#$s' 5illarica said the &tate could contribute to improve the employment picture by upgrading pertinent la3s like (* 6128' &he said labor data indicate that unemployment rate has <uite improved in the last five years at seven percent or 0'6 million in 0=::' >ean3hile, the number of underemployed is estimated at :8'- percent or 1'0 million, according to her' 9The %E&!, as provided for under (* 6128 must perform the task of facilitating the access of job seekers to employment opportunities' This institutional employment services arm of the government is duty7bound to stimulate employment in times of economic slo3do3n,; said 5illarica, president of the Central Lu4on .loc and chairperson of the committee on 3omen and gender e<uality' *glipay said employment promotion is one of the key functions of the government, and the %E&! plays an important role in stimulating employment in the country, particularly among the youth' 9Hence, it is necessary to reevaluate the %E&! governing la3 in order to improve the efficiency and financial viability of the concerned offices and ensure that they perform their functions in an efficient and harmonious manner,; said *glipay, a vice chairperson of the committees on justice and transportation'

*glipay said L#$s are in the best position to tailor7fit and adjust the services being offered by the %E&! to the public to make them more effective in providing employment to the unemployed 3ithin their jurisdiction' *ll these effort must still be done in coordination 3ith the D!LE (egional !ffices and under the umbrella of the D!LE Central !ffice, according to her' House .ill /012 seeks the amendment of (* 6128 so that there shall be established in all provinces, cities and municipalities a %E&! that shall be operated and maintained by L#$s' The %E&!s shall be linked to the D!LE regional offices for coordination and technical supervision, and to the D!LE central office to constitute the national public employment service net3ork' $pon the re<uest of a non7government organi4ation ,#!" or state university or college &$C", the D!LE may enter into a >emorandum of *greement for the ,#! or &$C to establish, operate and maintain a job placement office, the bill provides' To synchroni4e the provision of employment services in a given territorial jurisdiction, the bill provides the job placement office operated by the ,#! and &$C shall coordinate their activities 3ith the nearest %E&!' The bill also seeks the amendment of &ection ? of (* 6128 so that additionally, every %E&! shall undertake strategies, programs and activities to make the provision of employment services effective and efficient' @t also seeks the amendment of &ection 1 of (* 6128 so that the D!LE and the L#$s shall jointly establish the %E&!' The D!LE shall provide technical supervision, coordination and capacity7building to the %E&!' @t shall put up human resource and job registries, set up intra7 and inter7regional job clearance system as part of the overall employment service net3orkA train %E&! personnel in the various aspects of employment facilitation process and set standards and <ualification standards for %E&! personnelA and assess performance of the %E&! net3ork' Bor their part, job seekers shall register at the %E&! office for employment facilitation assistance' The bill provides the follo3ing responsibilities of the concerned L#$C operate and maintain the %E&!A ensure compliance 3ith the D!LE operational standardA e+tend assistance and services in the promotion of employment 3ithin the area of jurisdictionA and submit to the D!LE the periodic performance and accomplishment reports' @n terms of funding, the bill provides the L#$s shall include in their regular annual budget the funding support for the establishment, operation and maintenance of the %E&! 3hile the D!LEs annual budget for the %E&! shall be intended for technical assistance, training and supervision' -=" rbb