ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The Iloilo City government was recently adjudged as the regional winner of Best Public Employment Services Office (PESO) for highly urbanized city category during the 2023 Regional PESO Congress in Capiz, September 6.

More accolades were earned as the city PESO was also an awardee of the Unique Employment Program for its implementation of Uswag Negosyo Economic Boost to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 led this awarding ceremony to recognize best PESOs for their notable contributions and accomplishments in employment facilitation programs and for exemplifying excellence in public service.

To note, the Best PESO Awards are given to those operational and institutionalized PESOs, PESOs in local government units, and school-based PESOs now called Job Placement Offices, whose entries undergo a rigorous screening process during the nomination period.

Every PESO candidate must be implementing at least one of the PESO Core Services, namely, Referral and Placement, Employment Guidance and Counseling, and Labor Market Information.

Some 140 PESO managers from Western Visayas convened to attend the learning sessions from keynote speakers and joined the Search for the Best PESO Awards Night.

To date, various job-generating programs are being offered in Iloilo City, including the Jobstart Program, Special Program for the Employment of Students, Government Internship Program, and emergency employment opportunities such as the DOLE TUPAD or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers Program for out-of-school youth, and other marginalized earners.

Recently, PESO successfully concluded the Charter Day Job Fair, which opened more than 16,000 job placements for Ilonggo jobseekers.

This also resulted to 4,511 interviewed applicants and on-the-spot hiring of 199 individuals.  (AAL/LMLE/PIA Iloilo/Iloilo City PIO)