HOUSE OKAYS PESO BILLS

For: CustomsWeek Desk
attn: Inday Varona
c/o Bobby Nazareno
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by: Terence Mordeno Grana

THE HOUSE Committee on Labor and Employment, after a series of public hearings and committee meetings, decided to submit to Speaker Manuel B. Villar, Jr. for deliberation in the plenary sessions, a consolidated bill seeking to establish a Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in every local government unit (LGU) throughout the country.

Committee Chairman and Negros Occidental Representative (Rep.) Julio Ledesma IV said that that the bill, an identified priority measure of the Chamber, is a consolidation of House Bill (HB) Nos. 291, 1442 and 2632, authored by Capiz Rep. Manuel Roxas, Bohol Rep. Ernesto Herrera and Laguna Rep. Joaquin Chipeco, respectively.

Rep. Ledesma explained that under the PESO bill, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will render technical supervision over the LGU-based PESOs. These offices, the stressed, shall constitute the national employment services network and as such, the PESOs will provide the venue where job seekers and employers could explore labor market information.

For his part, Rep. Roxas also stated that unemployment and underemployment continue to be the perennial problems of the country while the existing employment service machinery of the government has been perceived as limited both in terms of scope and coverage. It is thus necessary, Roxas added, that the PESO Program should be institutionalized and expanded and be given adequate legislative support to ensure its continued and effective implementation.

The Committee, according to Ledesma, is set to sponsor the measure in plenary sessions and expressed confidence of the smooth passage of the bill.

Earlier, the Committee approved another priority measure, a consolidated bill on the prohibition of employment of children in hazardous activities.