TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat (PIA) -- The local government unit (LGU) of Tacurong City introduced the ‘PESO Jobs PH’, a first-of-a-kind job portal in the entire SOCCSKSARGEN, as part of the city’s Job Fair 2023 on July 25.

Allan Freno, the manager of Tacurong's Public Employment Service Office (PESO), described the job portal as "cutting edge" and emphasized its advantages for job seekers and stakeholders, particularly employers from prominent companies and other business establishments.

"The primary role of the Public Employment Service Office is to connect job seekers to employers. The COVID-19 pandemic taught us a hard lesson on employment facilitation," he said.

Freno pointed out that the pandemic posed challenges to conducting in-person job fairs and other activities due to quarantine restrictions. This prompted the realization of the necessity to transform the employment facilitation process into a digital format, leading to the development of an online recruitment platform.

PESO Jobs PH is a web-based recruitment platform conceptualized by PESO-Tacurong City that aims to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers.The platform seeks to "revolutionize" job searching not just in Tacurong City but also in nearby cities and municipalities. PESO also hopes to spread the portal’s impact throughout the country.

PESO Jobs PH promises to simplify the hiring process for employers by giving them a seamless platform to connect with top talent. 

"This is unique in Region 12 because we are the first to operationalize a localized job portal that provides a complete cycle of recruitment—from job search and application to job interview and hiring," Freno explained.

Moreover, the most significant aspect of the PESO Jobs PH portal is that its utilization extends beyond the confines of Tacurong City and Sultan Kudarat Province, thanks to its online nature, transcending geographical boundaries.

"Jobseekers and employers from around the country can access and use this platform. Digital technology is the defining characteristic of post-pandemic time, and with almost everyone already on the internet, our job portal can effectively bridge the gap in employment facilitation," he added.

Based on the data provided by PESO, Tacurong City’s unemployment rate hovers around 5% equating to nearly 3,400 unemployed individuals. With the new batch of graduates this year, the city government expects an influx of job applicants that will swarm the job portal.

"Our recent job fair indicated the need for more jobs. Considering that the newly developed PESO Jobs PH portal is another employment facilitation platform, this would surely help in connecting our jobseekers to companies looking for workers."

Meanwhile, Mayor Joseph Lechonsito hoped that the job site will gain support from employers by posting job openings on the portal. He described the employers as "the driving force" that will determine the effectiveness of the portal.

"That’s why we encourage them to use this innovative system," Lechonsito said.

He acknowledged the heightened expectations and the eagerness from stakeholders regarding the portal. Meanwhile, he appealed for understanding and patience should there be some challenges considering "the platform's capabilities are still unfolding."

Mayor Lechonsito is confident that the platform will transform the way job seekers, particularly the youth, approach job searching. This user-friendly technology has the potential to offer unprecedented job options.

He noted that the "enthusiastic response from the attendees during the launch reflects the shared belief in PESO Jobs PH's potential to transform the job-seeking landscape in Tacurong City."

The mayor committed that the city government under his leadership is looking after the wellbeing of all the constituents and providing them with a mechanism where they can find good employment opportunities that are easy and simple.   

"With our Local Government Unit’s aim of digitalizing our employment facilitation services, we allocated close to P1 million for the development of our online job portal. We are grateful to partner with InfoAdvance for the development of this localized job hiring platform, and we are also proud to partner with Amazon Web Services for the web hosting of our job site,”  the local chief executive added.

Mayor Lechonsito believed that LGU Tacurong was able to present an admirable example for other regions to also follow in promoting inclusive growth and economic development with its groundbreaking initiatives and persistent dedication to connecting job seekers and companies.

"I hope that through PESO Jobs PH, we can effectively reduce our unemployment by providing more access to jobs for our new graduates and other job seekers," he pointed out, saying that beating unemployment and providing a comfortable life for his constituents are the essence of this project.

Echoing Mayor Lechonsito’s statement on the feature of the web portal, PESO Manager Freno also reiterated the portal’s being “a user-friendly online recruitment site, and navigating the job portal is easy and seamless. We, at the PESO, are transforming the way job recruitment is done. We are going digital from application to hiring. Jobseekers can register and log in for free, upload their curriculum vitae, and apply for jobs."

He then encouraged employers to also register, log in for free, and post their job openings. The job-matching feature of the job portal also makes it easy for applicants and employers to connect.

Freno said that by using the portal, employers can efficiently sift through applications and hire the best match for their needs.

Interested job seekers can now access the website by visiting www.pesojobs.ph. Through the web browser, applicants can enter the URL https://pesojobs.ph/, which will then redirect them to the website’s homepage.

The launch of Region 12's first job site heralds a bright future for both companies and job seekers looking to establish fruitful contacts in the business community. (ACA – PIA Sultan Kudarat)