DOLE initiates programs to boost employment rate

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment Central Visayas office recently unveiled new projects aimed at boosting the employment rate in the region.

DOLE Assistant Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga said that they have seven new projects intended “to boost programs in promoting and preserving the employment of Filipino workers.”

Funds for these new programs will be taken from the department’s annual budget intended for its projects.

Sarcauga said that despite the fact that companies are now showing signs of recovery and now re-hiring retrenched workers, he said these new projects are meant to sustain the growth that the country has gained amid the financial crisis.

One of the seven projects is the Jobs Fit program, which is aimed at identifying the proper skills needed by the various companies, to address the job and skills mismatch in most industries.

Sarcauga explained that these programs are also intended for the Government and the academic sector who are the suppliers of the workers as well as the private sectors who are the ones in demand for workers.

The program would be made possible through “consultations with stakeholders and review existing national and regional development plans that would guide students and new entrants to the labor force on which course or training undertake in order to find employment upon graduation.”

Sarcauga said that through this, the academe would be able to enhance more the trainings needed by their students in order to cope with the requirements of the companies where they could possibly work.

According to Sarcauga, call centers or Business Process Outsourcing companies, which have continuously showed its presence for the past five to six years, in Cebu in particular, have been reported to have greatly improved the employment rate of the country.

However, Sarcauga said that the acceptance rates for the applicants are still on a five to six percent and should have increased but has not showed any improvement.

Sarcauga said that skills trainings would also be strengthened aside from the intensive and specialized training from the schools. “This is a way to address the needs of the companies and adjust to the standards that are implemented by these companies.”

He shared that for Hotels and Restaurants for example, these establishments have different standards and require skills from their employees thus the need for rigid training in schools in order to show the competence of their students.

Aside from this program, DOLE is also implementing their “Kabataan Ito” project, which is a youth information technology opportunity that will help out-of-school youths earn income at the same time help their fellow youths hone their computer skills.

Sarcauga said that for region 7 alone, they will be gathering 350 out-of-school youths who are computer literate who will train over 2,500 other youths. The mentors would be given an allowance per hour for teaching other youths.

He also explained the “Kabuhayan Starter Kits program” wherein they would give training and the needed tools for the interested participants to start their businesses.

Sarcauga said that this is for those who would like to venture in Small and Medium Enterprises which is presently giving a lot of aid to people who have entered these businesses.

Under this program, skills and necessary equipments would be provided for those who would want to be massage therapists, plumbers or electricians, beauticians, and production of home-based products such as food and fashion accessories.

Sarcauga said that they aim to fully implement these projects or “priority deliverables” by March of next year.