The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has once again recognized the vital role of Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) in advancing employment facilitation at the grassroots level and translating national employment goals into local action during this year’s National PESO Congress.
The event marked the 25th anniversary of Republic Act No. 8759, also known as the PESO Act, which institutionalized a nationwide employment facilitation network through the establishment of PESOs in every province, key city, and other strategic areas across the country.
In his virtual keynote message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. acknowledged PESOs’ pivotal role in linking the aspirations of Filipinos with sustainable opportunities. He called for a whole-of-government approach to job matching and career development that meets the evolving needs of the workforce.
“The [PESO] Congress reaffirms our collective duty to strengthen the very institutions that give our people the chance to lead productive and noble lives. Moving forward, our challenge is not only to create jobs but also to build careers that are sustainable, responsive to the needs of the times, and worthy of the Filipino spirit. So, I enjoin our national agencies, local governments, and employment intermediaries to deepen our cooperation so we can match the right people with the right jobs,” said the President during the opening ceremony on 15 October 2025.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma, meanwhile, recognized PESOs and Job Placement Offices (JPOs) as the Department’s partners in delivering employment facilitation services across the country: “Through the PESOs and JPOs, we contribute significantly in making the Bagong Pilipinas vision real—a Philippines where every worker has access to trabaho na may dignidad, buhay na maayos, at komunidad na mapayapa at ligtas.”
He lauded the sustained collective efforts of DOLE, PESOs, and JPOs, which have maintained an average regional employment placement rate of over 89 percent over the past decade.
The Labor Secretary also underscored DOLE’s continued collaboration with key partners, including the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev), local government units, industry boards, and social partners, to sustain and expand gains in employment facilitation.
