Eastern Visayas strengthened its career development ecosystem as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office VIII successfully conducted the 2025 Career Development Support (CDS) Forum on 10 December 2025 at Radiant Hotel, Tacloban City.
Positioned under the Career Development Support Program (CDSP), the forum brought together Job Placement Officers from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Technical Training Institutions (TTIs), Technical and Vocational Institutions (TVIs), and registered guidance counselors, alongside partner government agencies including TESDA, CHED, PRC, DOST, DepEd, PESOMAEV, and EVNCGCA. The forum also leveraged technical, research, and policy inputs from the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Institute for Labor Studies (ILS), and Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).
The forum aimed to address long-standing issues in career guidance, job placement, and employment facilitation across the education-to-employment continuum. Through technical sessions on national and regional employment frameworks, public employment services, and labor market forecasting, participants deepened their understanding of labor market trends, institutional mandates, and evidence-based program planning.
A key highlight was the Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the regional implementation of the CDSP, which formalized inter-agency collaboration and shared commitments toward a more coordinated career development support system in Eastern Visayas.
In his closing remarks, DOLE VIII Regional Director Atty. Dax B. Villaruel emphasized that strengthening career guidance, job placement, and employment facilitation requires continued collaboration among stakeholders and the institutionalization of standardized systems and modules.