More jobs, relief aid extended in Caloocan

More jobs and relief assistance were extended by the city government to the people of Caloocan City in one year than in the last four years of the previous administration, the Caloocan City government said yesterday.

Citing a report submitted by the city Department of Urban, Social, Industrial Relations Services (DUSIRS), City Mayor Enrico "Recom" Echiverri said some 3,093 families hit by various calamities including fire were given relief assistance while some 24,365 jobs, including 18,229 from the private sector, were also offered in the four job fairs set up in the first year of his administration.

Some 247 youngsters availed of the Petron Tulong-Aral while 183 street children were rescued off the streets through the city hall’s "Sagip Kalinga" operations led by the local City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD).

Also, 219 single parents were extended some kind of help, including financial. The figure represented 20 percent over figures registered from 2001 to 2004, the mayor said in a statement.

The mayor said some P1.7 million has been allocated by the local government for its livelihood projects for city residents.

From July 2004 to July 2005, the city government, through the DUSIRS’ Public Employment Services Office (PESO), has provided employment facilitation for some 7,372 city residents.

Some 11,049 applied for the vacant slots while 10,472 were individually referred to the private employers. Officials said some 7,172 have been accepted for the jobs they applied for.

Some 307 firms joined the job fairs held last Oct. 6 and Nov. 18 last year and last Feb. 11 and Aug. 25 this year. — Jerry Botial