𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 – The Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office VIII (DOLE RO VIII), through its Technical Support Services Division (TSSD), convened the 2nd Quarterly Meeting of Employment Program Managers for Fiscal Year 2026 on July 8, 2026, at the Ironwood Hotel to assess the implementation of employment programs, address operational concerns, and set priorities for the second half of the year.
The meeting gathered Employment Program Focals from the region’s seven provincial field offices, members of the Regional Employment Team, and program coordinators responsible for the Public Employment Service (PES), PESO Institutionalization, PES NC IV Certification, Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), Government Internship Program (GIP), Job Fairs, Labor Market Information (LMI), National Skills Registration Program (NSRP), and the HIRE Eastern Visayas initiative.
In her welcome message, DOLE RO VIII OIC-Regional Director Atty. Joan N. Noya-Nidua emphasized the importance of maintaining close coordination among the Regional Office and Field Offices to ensure that employment programs remain responsive to the needs of workers, jobseekers, employers, and local government partners. She also encouraged Employment Program Managers to continue strengthening collaboration with Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), educational institutions, and other stakeholders in expanding access to employment opportunities throughout Eastern Visayas.
The meeting opened with a presentation on the Labor Market Situation in Eastern Visayas, providing participants with updates on regional employment trends, unemployment, labor force developments, and labor market information that will support planning and program implementation at both the regional and field office levels.
Program coordinators likewise presented accomplishments and implementation updates on the Department’s major employment programs, including PES, PESO Institutionalization, PES NC IV Certification, SPES, Job Fairs, GIP, and HIRE Eastern Visayas. These presentations were followed by accomplishment reports from the seven provincial field offices, highlighting local initiatives, implementation status, and areas requiring further support.
A live demonstration of the HIRE Eastern Visayas (Hub for Integrated Regional Employment) platform was also conducted to familiarize Employment Program Managers with its features and planned regional rollout. The platform is expected to support employment facilitation by integrating labor market information, digital employment services, and regional employment data into a single system.
A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to identifying operational issues encountered in program implementation. Among the matters discussed were the quality and validation of Labor Market Information reports, limitations in the PESO Employment Information System (PEIS), reporting protocols between PESOs and Field Offices, PhilJobNet utilization, PES NC IV certification, SPES implementation, job fair reporting, and Government Internship Program management.
Participants agreed on several measures to improve program implementation, including strengthening report validation before submission, conducting refresher orientations on PEIS, encouraging the use of offline reporting tools during system downtime, improving monitoring of PES NC IV certification, enhancing job fair reporting, and promoting wider use of PhilJobNet among jobseekers and employers.
The meeting also featured an action planning session facilitated by Planning Officer Allenia Niña Chua, where Employment Program Managers identified priority activities and implementation strategies for the remaining months of 2026. The session likewise encouraged field offices to document success stories from various employment programs to capture good practices and showcase the impact of DOLE’s employment initiatives across the region.
In his closing message, Mr. Virgilio A. Doroja Jr., Chief Labor and Employment Officer and Head of the Technical Support Services Division, thanked the participants for their active engagement throughout the discussions. He encouraged the Field Offices to sustain close coordination, promptly address implementation concerns, and continue working together to achieve the region’s employment program targets for the year.
The quarterly meeting forms part of DOLE RO VIII’s continuing efforts to strengthen program management, improve coordination among field offices, and ensure the effective delivery of employment services throughout Eastern Visayas. Through regular performance reviews, technical discussions, and collaborative planning, the Department continues to enhance the implementation of employment programs that respond to the evolving needs of workers, jobseekers, employers, and local communities.
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