BLE NewsFeed, Vol. 1 No. 1, September 2012 - Bureau of Local ...

PNoy keynotes Career CongressAs part of the government’s efforts in addressing the lingering problem ofjob mismatch in the country, the Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) held the first ever National Career Advocacy Congress on 24-25 May 2012 at the Diamond Hotel, Manila.The event is a flagship strategy developed for the nationwideimplementation of the Career Guidance Advocacy Program (CGAP)which is aimed at inspiring and supporting career guidance counselorsand various stakeholders in their roles to provide career guidance for thefuture jobseekers.The Congress was graced by no less than President Benigno S. AguinoIII who delivered a keynote message to an audience of 417 participants,which consisted of members from the Network of Guidance Counsellors,government agencies, the academe, business owners, industry associations and youth delegates.“Maraming salamat sa ating career guidance counselors sapaggagabay n’yo sa ating kabataan tungo sa pag-asenso. Satulong ninyo, maiiwasang ura-uradang pagpasok sa larangangwala namang trabahong aasahan.– President Benigno S. Aquino IIIIt was a realization of the President’s directive to the Human and Poverty Reduction Cluster to propose measures that will addressthe job mismatch and will further strengthen youth employability in the country. Using the mainstream language of social media, itfollowed the theme: ‘Follow the guide. Tag a career. Like the future’. According to the Honorable Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz,the Congress is an innovation, a detour from the traditional measures to address the issue on jobs mismatch, and as such, it deservesa fresh and hip welcome by banking on the language known to people across almost all age brackets.”Resource speakers from the De La Salle University – Angelo King Institute, Business Processing Association, Philippine Chamberof Agriculture and Food, Philippine Constructors Association, and Philippine Travel Association were invited to share knowledge intheir areas of expertise as well as to facilitate discussions through an Open Forum. The Congress also served as a venue to showcasegood practices on career guidance and to provide updated and relevant Labor Market Information (LMI).The two-day event was made possible through collaboration with partner agencies namely, the Department of Education (DepEd),Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Information Agency(PIA), Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).14,258 HOTS on Labor Day Job FairA total of 14, 258 job applicants were Hired On-The-Spot (HOTS) last 1 May2012, when the DOLE held a nationwide Labor Day Job and Livelihood Fair atthe World Trade Center in Pasay City. Government-backed job fairs were alsoheld simultaneously in the country.The annual activity centered on the theme: “Pagtutulungan. Pagbabago. DisentengTrabaho.”, showcasing the government’s collaborative efforts with the privatesector in providing jobseekers decent work and access to employment services.

A one-stop-shop offering various government servicesfrom the National Statistics Office (NSO), NationalBureau of Investigation (NBI), PhilHealth, SocialSecurity System (SSS), Professional RegulationsCommission (PRC), and Bureau of Internal Revenue(BIR) were made available to jobseekers to helpthem with their requirements when applying for a job.The livelihood component of the event lead by theBureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC)and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration(OWWA) involved product display, franchisingexhibits, livelihood skills demonstration, and videopresentations on success stories on skills training, jobgeneration and entrepreneurship.His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino gracedthe event and opted to try the Job Search Kiosk, ajob search facility connected to the Phil-JobNet, theofficial job portal of the Philippine government.The Bureau of Local Employment was tasked tomonitor job vacancy postings nationwide. Around1,214 local and 392 overseas companies offering over320,518 vacancies participated in the activity such asthe Golden Arches Development Corporation, SykesAsia, and SM Corporation, to name a few. A total of 96, 419 jobseekers trooped to the job fair venues held nationwide.Upcoming ActivitiesDOLE intensifies fight against Trafficking in PersonsIn its unrelenting efforts to fight entities that take advantage of children and othervulnerable members of the Filipino workforce, the DOLE recently issued DepartmentCircular No. 02, also called the Manual of Procedures in Handling Complaints onTrafficking in Persons, Illegal Recruitment and Child Labor.The manual, signed last 7 May 2012 will be used as a standard operating procedure forDOLE Regional/Field Offices in its implementation of the Labor Code following itsprovisions that were created to safeguard the welfare of the people, especially that of thechildren, women, and overseas workers. Examples of related policies are the R.A. 9231,the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and DiscriminationAct, R.A 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and R. A 10022, the MigrantWorkers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995).Through the step-by-step procedures included in the manual, it will serve as a guide forthe organized handling and management of cases, complaints, reports and informationon trafficking in persons, illegal recruitment and child labor. It contains legal measures tobe used for the prosecution of the offenders as well as for the protection, rehabilitationand reintegration efforts accorded to the victims. It will also aid in the establishment ofcoordinated efforts among concerned agencies, with it the identification and prosecutionof perpetrators.“The DOLE will always endeavor to protect our workersand jobseekers against discrimination, exploitation, andviolence. That battle rages on and it is our duty to win.-DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-BaldozOctober 2012PESO CongressFinalization and Implementation of a Skilled Occupational ShortageList in the PhilippinesStakeholder Consulation on Industry Career GuidesEditorial Board:Director Maria Criselda SyMs. Ruth RodriguezMs. Jasper Joy BayogThe manual is user-friendly as flowcharts andillustrations of procedures are included. Saidpublication is part of the strategies included inthe Labor and Employment Plan 2011-2016.Contributing Writers:Ms. Rio Fe Del ValleMs. Sharie Anne AtieLayout Artists:Mr. Michael MaghariMs. Joyce PagalilawanMs. Jasper Joy Bayog