Guimaras bags best provincial PESO plum

THE 19th National Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Congress held on October 9-11, 2019, had participants on the edge of their seats on the first night of the National Congress for the awarding of the 2019 Best PESO at the SMX Convention Center, SM City Bacolod.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III was present to keynote the event.

Bello made a few jokes about himself, lightening the mood of the crowd and making the audience laugh, delivering his message with much optimism and support for the PESO program.

“I have much to look forward [to] in this vital and lovable employment program…,”and ending his message with admiration of the PESO: “Your unfailing commitment arms me with the confidence that this program is in safe hands.”

The Best PESO Awards are given to PESOs whose contributions and accomplishments to the employment facilitation programs are recognized, covering the operational and institutionalized PESOs, local government unit (LGU)-PESO and/or school-based PESO, now called Job Placement Office.

Each entry underwent rigorous screening process just for the nomination.

Every PESO candidate must undertake at least one of the PESO Core Services: (1) Referral and Placement, (2) Employment Guidance and Counseling, (3) and Labor Market Information.

One of the awardees, which came with a P100,000 grant, was the province of Guimaras for being the Best PESO in the 3rd to 5th Class Province category.

Guimaras-PESO Manager Elena Quezon was surprised with the award. She thought her office did not meet the minimum requirements.

When asked what were her plans to qualify for next year’s Best PESO Award and to attain the Hall of Fame status, which is achieved once a PESO has been awarded the Best PESO Award for three consecutive years, Quezon said she already has several activities lined up which will help level up their performance and quality in next year’s search.

If the Hall of Fame status is achieved, the PESO is automatically eligible for a P150,000 grant over and above the P100,000 initial grant.

This year’s PESO Congress had three Hall of Fame awardees: Bulacan State University (for Job Placement Office); Mabalacat City PESO (for Component City), and Olongapo City PESO and Valenzuela City PESO (for Highly Urbanized Cities).