Palo, Leyte - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has honored Iloilo City's Public Employment Service Office (PESO) as the best among highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the Philippines. The prestigious award was presented during the 23rd National PESO Congress held in Palo, Leyte.
According to a new release by the Philippines News Agency, the recognition highlights Iloilo City's exceptional performance in providing job opportunities. Gabriel Felix Umadhay, PESO Manager of Iloilo City, credited the achievement to the office's focus on three key areas: employment, career guidance, and labor market information.
In terms of employment, Iloilo City exceeded its 2022 target of 14,000 jobs by providing employment to 16,000 individuals through partnerships with local and international private companies. In fact, the city surpassed its 16,000 jobs target for this year as early as September. The city employed strategies such as organizing free special recruitment activities in public spaces and conducting job fairs in barangays to reach this achievement, thereby preventing illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
The career guidance initiative targets schools, while the labor market information effort generates statistics on the labor market to inform educational institutions about demand, employable age, and required skills, enabling them to align their training programs accordingly.
Umadhay emphasized that Iloilo City's success in reducing unemployment and equipping its residents with the necessary skills makes it an attractive destination for investors. He noted that as unemployment rates decrease, people have greater purchasing power, which in turn benefits their families and the local economy.