Over 2 million jobseekers were assisted and eventually hired through the assistance of Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) by local government units (LGUs) nationwide, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported on Thursday.

In a statement, the agency said 2.4 million jobseekers were employed through the facilitation of PESOs, which translate to a 91 percent placement rate across the country.

“This is 6 percent increase compared to the previous year,” it said.

The PESOs, which are community-based and maintained largely by LGUs and some state universities and colleges, are tasked to ensure prompt, timely and efficient delivery of employment services.

They are linked to the DOLE regional offices for coordination and technical supervision, and to the DOLE Central Office to constitute the national employment service network.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma acknowledged the agency’s social partners, including LGUs through their respective PESOs, in attaining the government’s labor and employment agenda.

“The responsibility of realizing the objectives of the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan and the Trabaho para sa Bayan Act is not the DOLE’s responsibility alone. It is jointly shared with our social partners, especially our PESOs,” Laguesma said in his message during the 23rd National PESO Congress in Palo Leyte, which runs from Wednesday to Friday.

“The challenges we face in our employment landscape demand collective action and innovative solutions,” he added.

Laguesma also underscored the need for open and constructive dialogue with PESO managers across the nation as he bared the five-point agenda towards transformative public employment services.

These include the institutionalization of PESOs, comprehensive capacity development of its officers and staff, strengthening their core functions, fortifying partnerships with employers and educational institutions, and digitalization of public employment services.

To ensure their continued operation and sustainability, the amended PESO law mandates PESO institutionalization and establishment of computerized systems for improved labor market information and employment facilitation service.

To date, 643 PESOs are now institutionalized out of the 1,592 LGU-based established PESOs in the country. (PNA)