The Public Employment Service Office Managers Association of Eastern Visayas (PESOMAEV), Inc., successfully convened its First Quarter Meeting for CY 2026 on 23 March 2026 at Ironwood Hotel, Tacloban City, bringing together Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Managers, Job Placement Officers (JPOs), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office VIII representatives to strengthen coordination and align regional employment initiatives for the year.
The meeting served as the association’s primary planning and policy-setting platform, focusing on institutional strengthening, employment program implementation, digital transformation, and organizational development. Discussions centered on the alignment of regional initiatives with the PESO 5-Point Agenda, highlighting Eastern Visayas’ continuing efforts to improve the delivery of employment facilitation services across local government units, educational institutions, and partner agencies.
Among the major discussions was the region’s progress on PESO Institutionalization, where participants noted that 58 PESOs, representing 39 percent of all offices in the region, have already achieved full institutionalization with dedicated offices and plantilla personnel, while the remaining local government units continue to work toward compliance with the requirements of Republic Act No. 10691. To accelerate institutionalization efforts, the body approved the creation of a Regional Technical Working Group composed of PESOMAEV and DOLE Regional Office VIII, which will provide technical assistance to qualifying PESOs and support local governments in strengthening their employment service offices.
The association likewise discussed the region’s 2026 Capacity Development Roadmap, which includes the conduct of PES National Certification (NC) IV assessments, capacity-building activities for PESO practitioners, and the International Labour Organization (ILO)-supported Training of Trainers on Artificial Intelligence-powered Labor Market Information Analytics. Participants also emphasized the continued expansion of the Job Placement Office (JPO) network and stronger collaboration among employers, educational institutions, and training providers to improve employment outcomes and labor market responsiveness.
Program managers also provided updates on the implementation of key employment facilitation programs, including the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), Job Fair Program, Labor Market Information (LMI), Government Internship Program (GIP), and the SPRS Monitoring System. Discussions reinforced standardized implementation procedures, reporting timelines, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure efficient program delivery across the region while promoting greater coordination between DOLE Field Offices and PESOs.
A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the HIRE Eastern Visayas (HIRE EV) Profile Setup and Manual, introducing the region’s integrated digital employment platform that will serve as the single online gateway for employment services in Eastern Visayas. Designed to connect 149 Public Employment Service Offices, 35 Job Placement Offices, partner government agencies, employers, and jobseekers, HIRE EV aims to modernize public employment services through centralized vacancy posting, real-time Labor Market Information dashboards, practitioner databases, social protection modules, and integrated government employment services. PESOMAEV was designated to lead the population of office profiles and the cascading of platform orientation across the region in preparation for its full implementation.
Preparations for the 2026 Search for Best PESO also formed part of the meeting agenda. Participants reviewed the updated eligibility requirements, documentary submissions, evaluation criteria, and performance standards for the national search while identifying measures to improve the completeness and quality of regional entries. The association likewise committed to providing technical assistance to participating PESOs to strengthen their documentation and showcase best practices in employment facilitation.
In support of organizational sustainability, members deliberated on proposed amendments to the PESOMAEV Constitution and By-Laws and agreed to retain the existing governance provisions while initiating the association’s registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Discussions also covered updates from PESOMAP, preparations for the 2026 PESO Congress, and resolutions advocating greater support for active-performing PESOs and strengthened participation of regional and provincial employment focal persons in national activities.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of several key resolutions that reinforce PESOMAEV’s commitment to institutional excellence, digital innovation, professional development, and stronger collaboration among employment service providers. Through these initiatives, the association reaffirmed its role as a vital partner of DOLE Regional Office VIII in advancing responsive, accessible, and future-ready public employment services for the people of Eastern Visayas.