ILOILO CITY — For the first time, Iloilo province has been declared as the grand slam winner of the best Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in the country under the first-class provincial category.
Iloilo landed first place together with PESO-Tarlac but after bagging the award for three consecutive years, it was declared “grand slam winner”, PESO-Iloilo chief, Francisco Heler, said after receiving the recognition at the SMX convention center here Friday night.
The awarding for the 2017 Search for best PESO was among the highlights of the three-day national PESO Congress from October 25 to 27. The success of PESO-Iloilo this year is a repeat of the 2015 and 2016 national search.
The province received a plaque of recognition and a total of PHP250,000 in cash incentive.
“This was all because of the support of our governor (Arthur Defensor Sr.), our local chief executives and the cooperation of our private sector and business sector, as well as the academe,” Heler said in describing their success.
Iloilo province excelled in its core services and functions, such as in registration, referral and placement, guidance coaching, and local market information.
Special programs have also been initiated by PESO-Iloilo, among them the special recruitment activities, job fairs, and the electronic manpower skills registry system.
Last year, PESO-Iloilo was able to provide employment to 5,557 jobseekers who are now working here and abroad.
It also assisted some 30,000 high school students in the province for guidance career and coaching.
During the conduct of the various job fairs, PESO-Iloilo provided special lanes for persons with disability, solo parents, Indigenous Peoples, and beneficiaries of the Sustainable Livelihood Program and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Although they are no longer allowed to join the national search next year, Heler said they are targeting to receive an excellence award in 2019 for maintaining their outstanding performance.
He added that they will work harder and lay down initiatives to further improve their services in terms of facilitating employment. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
