FACILITATING WORK IN THE NEW NORMAL:

AN ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT FACILITATION

SERVICES AND MECHANISMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Carl Sean E. Pablico

ABSTRACT
The study looked into how providers of local public employment facilitation services have
attuned themselves to the new normal and ensured that the services and mechanisms
they implement remained to be accessible, responsive, and unhampered in light of the
COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the study, it was found out that the implementation of
some employment facilitation services and mechanisms were momentarily interrupted
due to movement restrictions imposed as a response to prevent the community
transmission of the virus, and that implementers had to change their overall strategy in
terms of service targets and mode of service delivery to ensure service access. While, in
general, services remain to be accessible, there are still some challenges and issues faced
by implementers as the pandemic continue to persist, including, among others, lack of
employment opportunities, employment recovery, and barriers to fully operate digitally.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Research Objectives .................................................................................................................... 3

Policy Basis ..................................................................................................................................... 4
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................. 4
Research Design ............................................................................................................................ 4
Framework of Analysis ............................................................................................................... 5
Sampling Design and Respondent’s Profile ......................................................................... 6
Administration of Survey ........................................................................................................... 9
Ethical and Gender Considerations ...................................................................................... 10
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT FACILITATION SERVICES AND MECHANISMS .............................. 11
Labor Market Information ...................................................................................................... 12
National Skills Registration Program .................................................................................. 13
Special Program for Employment of Students ................................................................. 14
Career Guidance and Advocacy Program ........................................................................... 15
JobStart Philippines ................................................................................................................... 15
Job Fairs.......................................................................................................................................... 16
Referral and Placement............................................................................................................ 16
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 18
RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 22
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................... 22
REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 24
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ALMP Active Labor Market Policies
BLE Bureau of Local Employment
CGAP Career Guidance and Advocacy Program
DOLE Department of Labor and Employment
e-job online job search assistance
IEC Information, education, and communication
ILO International Labour Organization
LGU Local Government Units
LMI Labor Market Information
LST Life Skills Training
NSRP National Skills Registration Program
PES Public Employment Services
PESO Public Employment Service Office
PEIS PESO Employment Information System
PSA Philippine Statistics Authority
SPES Special Program for Employment of Students
TNK Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Distribution of Operational PESOs by Political Subdivision, Philippines: September 2019 ...... 7
Table 2. Survey Response Rates by Political Subdivisions ...................................................................... 7
Table 3. List of LMI Publication by Publication Year ............................................................................. 12

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Research Design and Model..................................................................................................... 5
Figure 2. Framework of Analysis ............................................................................................................. 5
Figure 3. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative) by Position ............................................................ 6
Figure 4. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative) by Work Experience .............................................. 6
Figure 5. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative) by Years of Program Handling .............................. 6
Figure 6. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative) by Sex .................................................................... 7
Figure 7. Coverage of Samples by Philippine Region .............................................................................. 7
Figure 8. Distribution of Respondents (Quantitative) by Position .......................................................... 8
Figure 9. Distribution of Respondents (Quantitative) by work Experience ............................................ 8
Figure 10. Distribution of Respondents (Quantitative) by Sex ............................................................... 9
Figure 11. Distribution of PESOs by Number of Personnel, Select Regions: October 2020-January
2021 ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Figure 12. Distribution of PESO Personnel by Sex, Select Regions: October 2020-January 2021 ......... 9
Figure 13. Distribution of PESO Personnel by Age Group, Select Region: October 2020-January 2021
.............................................................................................................................................................. 10
Figure 14. Numbers of LMI reached by Client and Year, Philippines: 2010-2020 ................................ 13
Figure 15. Number of PEIS Registrations by Type of Client and Year, Philippines: 2019-2020 ............ 14
Figure 16. Number of SPES Beneficiaries by Year, Philippines: 2010-2020 .......................................... 14
Figure 17. Numbers of CGAP Beneficiaries by Type of Client and Year, Philippines: 2017-2020 ......... 15
Figure 18. Number of JobStart Beneficiaries by Year, Philippines: 2014-2020 .................................... 16
Figure 19. Numbers of Jobseekers Referred and Placed, Philippines: 2015-2020 ............................... 17
Figure 20. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Service and Implementation Status ...... 18
Figure 21. Proportion of PESOs by Means of Service Access and Period of Implementation .............. 19
Figure 22. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Services and Service Demand Status ..... 20
Figure 23. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Service and Service Demand Status ...... 20
Figure 24. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Service and Attainability of Service
Targets .................................................................................................................................................. 21
Figure 25. Proportion of PESOs by Available Resources and Degree of Sufficiency ............................. 21

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INTRODUCTION

In April 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reported a record-high
unemployment rate of 17.7 percent, which translated to more than 7.3 million
unemployed persons in the Philippines, surpassing the 10.3% unemployment rate
recorded during Philippine recession in 1998. While recovering by 7.7 percent in July 2020
and further by 1.3 percent in October 2020, the latest unemployment rate remained to
be significantly high at 8.6 percent as compared to the same period last year. This
unprecedented increase in the numbers of unemployed persons is associated with the
economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the imposition of the
community quarantine across the country, where more than 200,000 workers have been
reported displaced from more than 12,000 establishments country-wide due to either
retrenchment, reduction of workers, or permanent closure (Bureau of Local Employment,
September 2020). In June 2020 alone, more than 50,000 workers have been involuntarily
terminated directly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, according to the
Department of Labor and Employment (2020), more than 114,000 establishments have
implemented either flexible working arrangements or temporary closures which
effectively, either permanently or temporarily, trimmed down the income of more than
three (3) million workers in the formal sector. Undeniably, the COVID-19 pandemic has
and continue to wreak havoc to the state of the labor market, leaving millions of Filipinos
either with significantly reduced income or without jobs.

As such, facilitating work has now, more than ever, become but a near impossible task to
accomplish without the risk of possible exposure to the COVID-19 virus. This
circumstance, magnified by the strict implementation of the community quarantine, has
changed the general behavior of the workforce. Evidently, the PSA has recorded a drop
in labor force participation among Filipinos 15 years and older at 55.6 percent, lowest in
Philippine history, a significant decrease in average number of hours worked per week
from 41.8 percent to 35 percent, and a striking fall in the number of employed persons
with job but not at work at 38.4 percent or 13 million employed persons. With the
increasing numbers of unemployed persons in the Philippines due to the COVID-19
pandemic and considering the movement restrictions to reduce the risk of viral
transmission, the study aims to answer the question: “how have providers of local public
employment facilitation services adjusted themselves to the new normal and still
effectively carry out its intrinsic objective of facilitating work for jobseekers?”

Research Objectives
Generally, the research aims to assess local public employment facilitation services and
mechanisms and how they have been transformed or will be transformed by the COVID-
19 pandemic geared toward contributing to socioeconomic recovery efforts of the
Philippine government. Specifically, the research seeks to: (a) determine the organizational
outcomes and results framework in providing local public employment facilitation services;
(b) document actions taken in ensuring that services remained accessible, responsive, and
unhampered in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) assess pending strategies and

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plans that are yet to be implemented to further address the challenges brought about by
the COVID-19 pandemic.

Policy Basis
The study and its recommendations are anchored on the attainment of the following
strategic policy instruments: (a) Goals 8.5 and 8.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals
(United Nations, 2019), which aim to achieve full and productive employment and decent
work for all and promote labor rights and safe and secure working environments of all
workers, respectively; (b) Chapter 10 of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022
(National Economic Development Authority, 2017), which aims to accelerate human
capital development, particularly improving employability, by strengthening employment
facilitation services, among others; and (c) Agenda Items 1, 2, and 8 of the Eight-Point
Labor and Employment Agenda (DOLE, 2016) specifying the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE)’s aim to: (i) continuously enhance and transform DOLE into an
efficient, responsive, purposeful, and accountable institution; (ii) address the persistent
problems of unemployment and underemployment due to inadequate employment
opportunities, mismatches between skills and jobs, and limited access to labor market
information; and (iii) have responsive, enabling, and equitable labor policies, laws, and
regulations, respectively.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design
The research adopted a mixed method research design that involves: (a) an analysis of
secondary data from related literature and a thorough review of administrative data on
local public employment facilitation programs and services; and (b) collection of primary
data through the conduct of key informant interviews and cross-sectional online
perception survey. In particular, the research followed a concurrent triangulation design-
convergence model, as indicated in Figure 1, which is a one-phase design in which
quantitative statistical results are directly compared and contrasted with qualitative
findings (Creswell et al., 2003). The design-model “generally involves the concurrent, but
separate, collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data” and merging of “the
two data sets, typically by bringing the separate results together in the interpretation… to
facilitate integrating the two data types during the analysis”. Through this design-model,
derived conclusions will become more “valid and well-substantiated” (Creswell et al.,
2003). Figure 1 shows that data collection, analysis, and results generation are
simultaneously but independently conducted, and is followed by data interpretation
through data comparison and contrasting.

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 Figure 1. Research Design and Model

Framework of Analysis
In the interpretation of data, the framework of analysis takes into consideration: (a) the
organizational outcomes and results framework of public institutions providing local
public employment facilitation services; and (b) actions taken by these institutions,
including (c) those that are yet to be carried out, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, in
coming up with strategic policy options that would potentially improve how jobseekers
find work, through local public employment facilitation services, in the new normal. By
documenting “what has been done” and “what is yet to be done” through review of
administrative reports and conduct of key informant interviews, and comparing the
results thereof against “what should be done” based on organizational outcomes and
results framework, the framework suggests that the research will be able to identify “what
can still be done”, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Framework of Analysis

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Sampling Design and Respondent’s Profile
Profile of Respondents (Qualitative). In Figure 3. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative) by Position
determining the samples, the study made
use of separate sampling techniques for
the qualitative and quantitative parts of
the research. For the qualitative aspect,
respondents were identified through
purposive sampling based on their
relevance and significance in the
facilitation of employment in the country.
A total of eight (8) respondents
participated in key informant interviews,
all of which are program coordinators or managers from the Bureau of Local Employment
(BLE), a bureau attached to the Figure 4. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative)
Department of Labor and Employment by Work Experience

(DOLE) that is responsible for developing

regulations and policies surrounding local
employment facilitation. Figure 3 shows
that majority (87%) of the respondents
occupy a technical officer-level position,
while the remaining 13% are senior
officers. For purposes of profiling,
“technical officers” refers to position
ranks from first level to third level labor
and employment officers while “senior
officers” refers specifically to Senior Labor and Employment Officers.

In terms of tenure, Figures 4 and 5 show Figure 5. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative)

by Years of Program Handling
that half (50%) of the respondents have 1-
2 years of work experience with their
current position, and majority (75%) have
3-5 years of experience in handling their
respective employment programs. It can
be noted, however, that the work
experience only refers to the position they
currently hold which explains the
seemingly contrast in number of years of
experience when compared to the total
number of years they have been handling
their programs.

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In terms of gender ratio, Figure 6 shows Table 1. Distribution of Operational PESOs by Political
Subdivision, Philippines: September 2019
that more than half of the respondents are
female, representing 75%, while its male
counterpart represents the remaining
25%. In total, the sample for the qualitative
part of the research shows a good mix of
respondents with inclination toward Figure 6. Distribution of Respondents (Qualitative) by Sex
women and technical-level
representations, with an average of at
least 2 years of work experience with their
present position and at least 2.5 years of
experience in managing employment
programs.

Profile of Respondents (Quantitative). For the

quantitative part of the research,
operational Public Employment Service
Office was identified as the sample unit,
considering that the PESO is the employment facilitation service machinery of the
government at the local level. To generate
Table 2. Survey Response Rates by Political Subdivisions
inferable results, the study made use of
stratified sampling to determine the
samples for the survey. Based on the
sampling frame provided by the Bureau of
Local Employment, 295 operational PESOs Figure 7. Coverage of Samples by Philippine Region
were randomly selected, with 95%
confidence level and confidence interval
of 5. Samples were distributed by political
subdivision, particularly based on their
percentage share in the total number of
PESOs fully operational in the country.
Table 1 shows that the sample is
composed mainly of operational PESOs at
the municipal level (249, 84.40%), followed
by operational PESOs in component cities
(23, 7.84%), provincial PESOs (16, 5.38%),
and PESOs in highly urbanized cities (7,
2.38%).

From the target samples, a total of 131

(44%) randomly selected operational
PESOs successfully participated in the
quantitative survey. Table 2 shows the
breakdown of response rates by political

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subdivisions, comparing target and actual Figure 8. Distribution of Respondents (Quantitative)
by Position
numbers of respondents. Particularly, the
highest response rate came from PESOs
in highly urbanized cities (86%), followed
by PESOs in component cities (61%),
provincial PESOs (50%), and lastly, PESOs
at the municipal level (41%). Further,
Figure 7 shows that respondents covered
almost all regions of the Philippines
except for Region 4B (MIMIROPA) and the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao. While the latter is not
actually part of the sample unlike the former, no survey responses were received from
PESOs in Region 4B. The relatively low response rates at the provincial and municipal
levels, however, can be attributed to the fact that the roll out of the survey coincided with
the entry of Tropical Storms Goni (Rolly, Atsani (Siony), Etau (Tonyo), and Vamco (Ulysses),
which consequently ravaged parts of Luzon and Visayas in November 2020, thereby
rendering local government units to shift focus from regular operations, including PESOs,
to emergency relief efforts to recover from the extensive damage left by the super
typhoons.

From the 131 operational PESOs who Figure 9. Distribution of Respondents (Quantitative)
by work Experience
participated in the survey, majority (85%)
are PESO managers while the remaining
15% are PESO officers, as shown in Figure
8. However, “PESO Managers”, in profiling
context, include those that occupy
designate positions, including, among
others, department heads and human
resource management officers, while
“PESO Officers”, on the other hand,
include technical positions such as labor
and employment officers and other
administrative positions. Further, in terms of work experience, Figure 9 shows that 25%
of respondents have more than 10 years of working experience, with an average of at
least 4.8 years working in PESOs. In terms of gender ratio, Figure 10 shows that majority
(72%) of respondents are women with the remaining 28% representing its male
counterpart.

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In summary, the profile of respondents Figure 10. Distribution of Respondents (Quantitative) by Sex

for the quantitative aspect of the research

is diverse in terms of work experience and
is leaning towards female and high-level
representations. It is, however, worthy to
note that 31% of positions occupied by
the respondents are only designate
positions, and of this proportion, 63% are
occupied by women.

Profile of PESO-Respondents. In terms of Figure 11. Distribution of PESOs by Number of Personnel,

Select Regions: October 2020-January 2021
personnel complement of PESOs, Figure
11 shows that almost half (43%) of PESOs
only have 1-3 personnel while 1 out of 4
PESOs (24%) is solely handled by a PESO
Manager. Further, with regard to women
and youth representations, Figures 12 and
13 show that in every ten PESO personnel,
six (6) are women and are aged 30 and
above.

Administration of Survey
Considering the movement restrictions, along with other health protocols imposed, to
prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Figure 12. Distribution of PESO Personnel by Sex,
Select Regions: October 2020-January 2021
data gathering was limited to digital
means. As such, the survey, which was
developed through Microsoft Forms, was
disseminated online through electronic
mail, from October 2020 to January 2021.
Similarly, follow-ups to increase the
uptake of the online survey were
conducted digitally through electronic
mail and coordination with the Bureau of
Local Employment and the PESO
Managers Association of the Philippines,
Inc.

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Ethical and Gender Considerations
The study ensured the protection of Figure 13. Distribution of PESO Personnel by Age Group,
Select Region: October 2020-January 2021
qualitative and quantitative data collected
from key informant interviews and surveys
in accordance with established policy on
confidentiality and compliance to the data
privacy rules and regulations. The survey
instrument included a consent request
affirming their approval to participate in the
study and in cross-sharing their contact
information within the Institute for research
and advocacy purposes. Further, the study
took into consideration the equal
representation of gender among its
identified key informants, focus group discussion participants, and survey respondents.
Ultimately, the study employed a gender lens in the analysis of both qualitative and
quantitative data, particularly in the profiling of the respondents.

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PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT FACILITATION SERVICES AND
MECHANISMS

Mandated by Article 12 of Presidential Decree No. 442, otherwise known as the Labor Code
of the Philippines (LCP, 1974, p. 12), as amended, “to facilitate a free choice of available
employment by persons seeking work”, the Philippine government, through the DOLE has
developed and maintained a number of programs and mechanisms that would facilitate
employment of jobseekers in the country. Commonly referred to as “employment facilitation
services” in the Philippines, these programs, which are alternately called as “labor market
services”, include all interventions aimed to bridge jobseekers to work opportunities through
a wide range of services such as career guidance, job matching, and labor market information
(Malo, 2018).

Labor market services, however, is just one of the five (5) classifications of active labor
market policies (ALMPs) conceptualized by the International Labour Organization (ILO,
2016) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (1993), with varying
interpretations and definitions depending on whether such ALMPs are implemented by
a developing or developed country. Apart from labor market services, ALMPs include: (a)
labor market training; (b) public works or direct job creation; (c) employment subsidies or
incentives; and (d) self-employment and micro-enterprise creation. Other than ALMPs
which reactivate and support re-employment of the labor force, there are also “passive”
labor market policies that are aimed at mitigating income insecurity from involuntary
unemployment through unemployment benefits or insurance, separation pay, and
retirement pay (Malo, 2018). As labor market policies, these are often implemented
through public employment services (PES) which are primarily responsible for: (a)
providing job matching services; (b) implementation of labor market programs; (c)
collection, analysis, and dissemination of labor market information; and (d) administration
of unemployment insurance. (ILO Employment Services Convention 88, 1948).

However, in Philippine context, PESOs carry out almost all the functions of PES as
prescribed by ILO Convention No. 88, except for the administration of unemployment
insurance (San Pedro and Angon, 2013), which is under the supervision of the Philippine
Social Security System in coordination with the DOLE (Republic Act No. 11199). Labor
market services such as job-matching and provision of career guidance and labor market
information are widely carried out and implemented by PESOs at the local level.
Geographically, PESOs are established based on political subdivisions either at the
provincial, municipal, or city levels and are maintained administratively by local
government units (LGUs) (Republic Act No. 8759). However, PESOs may also be
established in non-governmental organizations or community-based organizations, and
state universities and colleges, which was later expanded to include accreditation of
PESOs in educational institutions, whether public or private, as job placement offices
(Republic Act No. 10691). Other than geographic categories, PESOs are also classified into
established, operational, and institutionalized. Currently, there are 1,926 established

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PESOs in the country, of which 1,423 are operational while 504 have been institutionalized
(BLE, March 2019).

While PESOs are under the administration of LGUs, technical support and supervision are
provided by the DOLE, through the BLE, a policy bureau within DOLE focusing on local
employment facilitation. Further, the DOLE is mandated to strengthen the network of
public employment offices in the country through the conduct of capacity-building
activities, performance evaluation of PESOs, and setting of standards for the
establishment and operation of the PESO office, including the qualification standards for
PESO personnel (LCP, p. 15; Republic Act No. 10691). Under the technical supervision of
DOLE, PESOs in the Philippines carry out the following employment facilitation services
and mechanisms:

Labor Market Information

Labor market information (LMI), including its Table 3. List of LMI Publication by Publication Year

collection, analysis, and distribution, forms PUBLICATIONS PUBLICATION YEAR

Guiding Youth Careers – A Handbook for those who

part of the overall strategy of the help young jobseekers 2007

government to facilitate employment in the Minute Guide for Young Jobseekers 2007

country. In particular, by providing timely, Jobs on Board: Occupational Brief 2007

Career Information Pamphlets (First 101 Careers, ITBPM

reliable, and accurate labor market signals Careers, Guidance Counsellors, Household Service 2011-2013
Workers, Machinist, and SME Careers)
such as in-demand jobs and skills shortages
Industry Career Guides (Transport and Logistics,
(BLE, 2019; 2020a), LMI ensures that Business Process Outsourcing, Construction, Health 2012
and Wellness, Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism, Mining,
decisions made by students, and Agribusiness)

establishments, academe, and government APEC: Effective Labor Market Signaling: A Strategy
Addressing Unemployment and Talent Mismatch
2012

decision-makers related to career planning JobsFit Labor Market Information Report 2013-2020 2013

and job search, manpower requirements, SRS Field Operations Manual 2014

Bureau of Local Employment Pamphlets 2015

curriculum development, and employment
Job Search Kiosk Flyer 2015
strategies (Woods, 2006) are evidence-based Philippine Talent Map Initiative Pamphlet 2015

and well-informed. LMI is collected at the Special Program for Employment of Students Pamphlet 2015

ground-level by DOLE regional, field, and JobStart Impacts and Insights (Volumes 1 and 2) 2015, 2016

Career Guidance Advocacy Program: A Plan 2016

satellite offices, including local PESOs, and is BLE Weekly Briefers 2017-2019
consolidated, analyzed, and later converted JobsFit 2022 LMI National Report 2018

into information, communication, and Labor Market Trends (Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs and
Country Specific Labor Market Programs and Policies 2019
education (IEC) materials at the central during Recession)
office. At present, a number of LMI Labor Market Profile 2019

JobsFit COVID-19 Labor Market Information Report 2020

publications and IEC materials are being Sources: 2019 BLE Annual Report, 2020 DOLE-BLE Program Profile: LMI, and DOLE-BLE
disseminated by DOLE. Table 3 shows the list Website (accessed, December 2020)
of LMI publications developed and disseminated by DOLE-BLE since 2007.

In terms of dissemination, Figure 14 shows the numbers of individuals and institutions

reached by LMI from 2010 to 2020. Specifically, in 2017, LMI reached more than 4.1
million individuals and almost 80,000 institutions, both of which are the highest recorded
numbers since 2010. On the other hand, the notable decrease recorded in 2020 refers

12
only to the numbers of individuals and institutions reached by LMI from January to July
2020.
Figure 14. Numbers of LMI reached by Client and Year, Philippines: 2010-2020

National Skills Registration Program

To complement and improve the collection of data that contributes to a more up-to-date
and effective labor market information, the DOLE launched the National Skills
Registration Program (NSRP) in 2008. As a program, NSRP is operationalized by the PESO
Employment Information System (PEIS), which records the profile of jobseekers, including
their skills and competencies, client transactions, and job vacancies (BLE, 2019; 2020b).
While the NSRP is managed centrally by DOLE, through the BLE, registration of
establishments and jobseekers through the PEIS is carried out by PESOs and DOLE offices
at the local level. Figure 15 shows the number of registered jobseekers and
establishments in the PEIS from 2019 to 2020. It can be observed that there is a decline
in the number of registrations coming from both jobseekers and establishments.

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 Figure 15. Number of PEIS Registrations by Type of Client and Year, Philippines: 2019-2020

Special Program for Employment of Students

The Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) is an employment-bridging
program that provides short-term employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-
school youth, and qualified dependents of involuntarily terminated workers (BLE, 2020c).
As a program, SPES is implemented by DOLE regional offices at the local level.
Beneficiaries are provided temporary employment that lasts from 10 to 78 working days
depending on the season. Figure 16 shows the number of SPES beneficiaries from 2010
to 2020. In 2016, the number of SPES beneficiaries reached more than 205,000, which is
the highest recorded number of beneficiaries since 2010. From this number, the number
of SPES beneficiaries has significantly decreased up to present, which has been especially
exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic.
Figure 16. Number of SPES Beneficiaries by Year, Philippines: 2010-2020

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Career Guidance and Advocacy Program
As a program that aims to support existing initiatives on employment facilitation,
including LMI activities and school-to-work transition, the Career Guidance and Advocacy
Program (CGAP) provides its clients access to information and guidance about available
career options, especially appropriate and timely knowledge on the realities of the labor
market. Structurally, CGAP is an inter-agency initiative chaired by the DOLE, with members
consisting of the Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology,
Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority,
Professional Regulation Commission, and the Federation of Career Guidance Advocates
Network of the Philippines, Inc., under the Human Development and Poverty Reduction
Cluster of the Cabinet (BLE, 2020d). Operationally, CGAP is carried out by Networks of
Guidance Counselors and Career Advocates together with PESOs at the local level
through the conduct of career guidance activities to various clients such as students, out-
of-school youth, jobseekers, professionals, and industries. In terms of number of
beneficiaries, Figure 17 shows that in 2019, over 792,000 students and more than 4.500
schools benefitted from career guidance activities. The decrease in 2020, on the other
hand, refers only to the number of beneficiaries from January to May 2020.
Figure 17. Numbers of CGAP Beneficiaries by Type of Client and Year, Philippines: 2017-2020

JobStart Philippines
JobStart, as a program, aims to enhance the employability of young individuals,
particularly those that are not in education, employment, or training, and reduce job
search period by providing a full-cycle employment facilitation which includes life and
technical skills training and paid internship for beneficiaries to gain work experience.
Since 2016, JobStart has been implemented in 35 PESOs nationwide, in all 16
administrative regions in the Philippines, having more than 17 thousand beneficiaries
(BLE, 2020e) n. Figure 18 shows the number of JobStart beneficiaries who have

15
successfully completed the Life Skills Training (LST) from 2014 to 2020. In 2017, more than
7,000 JobStart beneficiaries completed the LST, which is the highest recorded number of
beneficiaries since its initial implementation in 2014. On the other hand, while the
numbers of beneficiaries completing LST have been decreasing since 2017, the notable
drop in 2020 is attributed to the deferment of the program due to the pandemic.
Figure 18. Number of JobStart Beneficiaries by Year, Philippines: 2014-2020

Job Fairs
The DOLE also conducts job fairs as an employment facilitation strategy to provide
jobseekers and employers a physical venue to meet and engage in pre-employment
activities such as job interviews, screening, and selection, essentially to reduce cost, time,
and effort from both parties. Particularly, in partnership with the Department of Trade
and Industry, job fairs were expanded into “Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan” (TNK) Job and
Business Fairs to include entrepreneurship in the overall employment strategy. In 2019,
DOLE has recorded a total of 1,579 TNK Job and Business Fairs conducted throughout the
Philippines with almost 500,000 participating jobseekers and 3.2 million employment
opportunities offered by almost 34,000 employers. Of the total jobseekers, more than
300,000 were consideration qualified for the position they applied for and of this number,
88,611 jobseekers or 29.45% were hired on-the-spot (BLE, 2019).

Referral and Placement

As job matching services are among the main functions of PESOs, individuals seeking
employment may seek the assistance of PESOs and be provided with job search
assistance through referral and placement. On top of this, jobseekers are also provided
with career guidance and employment coaching to better inform them of their career
options. Figure 19 shows the number of jobseekers successfully referred and placed by
PESOs from 2015 to 2020. Specifically, the numbers of jobseekers referred and placed
have been steady with gradual, slight increases since 2015. However, in 2020, the

16
numbers of jobseekers both referred and placed decreased by 65% from the preceding
year (BLE, 2020f; 2020g).
Figure 19. Numbers of Jobseekers Referred and Placed, Philippines: 2015-2020

17
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Implementation of employment facilitation services that require face-to-face interaction were

deferred. Following the issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 929 by the executive
branch of the Philippine national government, dated 16 March 2020, declaring a national
State of Calamity and placing the whole of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine
for a period of six (6) months, the DOLE issued memorandum, dated 16 April 2020, putting
on hold all employment facilitation programs “which would entail mass gathering”. Among
the programs included are the SPES, JobStart, NSRP, and conduct of TNK job and business
fairs. Consistently, quantitative data confirm that 67% of PESOs deferred the conduct of job
and business fairs, while at least 53% of PESOs deferred the implementation of SPES and
the conduct of employment coaching and career counseling, as shown in Figure 20.
Further, 82% of PESOs continued implementing referral and placement, while at least 62%
continued to implement NSRP and LMI activities.

Figure 20. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Service and Implementation Status

Implementation of some employment facilitation services were only momentarily interrupted

as implementers began to innovate and digitize. Alternatively, an online job search
assistance (e-job) webpage was launched, through the issuance of a DOLE memorandum
in September 2020, to fill in the gap on facilitating employment digitally, which was left
wide open by the non-operational PhilJobNet. The webpage provided information about
opportunities for wage employment, entrepreneurship, and trainings. Said initiative,
however, is an interim platform and will be subsumed under a much holistic “virtual job fair
system”. Further, while it would seem that the provision of job search assistance would be
hampered considering that majority of PESOs are highly dependent on walk-in applications,
a number of PESOs took advantage of technology and made use of digital platforms such as
social media, among others, to continue facilitating employment. This is confirmed by
quantitative data showing that majority (76%) of PESOs utilized Facebook as a means for
clients to access employment facilitation services, as shown in Figure 21. On the other hand,
JobStart Philippines took a different route and prompted the development of online modules

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for its Life Skills Training, while SPES conducted online orientation and provided online hand-
outs to its program beneficiaries.

Figure 21. Proportion of PESOs by Means of Service Access and Period of Implementation

Dispersed results on changes in service demand and notable increase in service targets.
Quantitative data show dispersed results of changes in terms of service demand among
PESO respondents. In particular, 30% of PESOs observed an increase of service demand
on referral and placement services, however 39% of the same sample observed
otherwise, while 19% observed no changes at all, as shown in Figure 22. The same is also
observed in other employment facilitation services offered by PESOs. The increase in
service demand for availment of employment facilitation services, according to
qualitative data, can be attributed to the growing numbers of unemployed persons who
are in pursuit of new employment. On the other hand, the decrease in service demand
can be associated with the increasing numbers of establishments who have been ceasing
operations due also to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially
true to programs such as SPES and JobStart Philippines who need employer-partners for
their program implementation.

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 Figure 22. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Services and Service Demand Status

However, in terms of service targets, quantitative data show that at least 18% of PESOs
observed that their service targets decreased while around at least 4% observed an
increase thereof across employment facilitation services they implement, as shown in
Figure 23. Contrarily, qualitative data show otherwise. This is primarily associated with
necessary budget realignment to prioritize social protection programs for affected
workers and prohibition on the conduct of face-to-face transactions due to measures
taken to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 23. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Service and Service Demand Status

Service targets were difficult to attain. While results vary from one employment facilitation
service to another, there are striking results that indicate a significant number of PESOs
expressing difficulty in attaining service targets for referral and placement (48%), LMI
(38%), and NSRP (37%), as shown in Figure 24. On the other hand, more PESOs (33%) have
expressed that SPES services targets are attainable as compared to those who expressed
otherwise (11%). However, qualitative data show that service targets were strategically

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decreased to enable implementers meet program requirements in light of the
implementation difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 24. Proportion of PESOs by Employment Facilitation Service and Attainability of Service Targets

Resources to support the implementation of PESOs in the new normal are generally sufficient.
Quantitative data show that ICT resources, access to internet (including data speed and
stability of connection), menu of services offered to clients, human resources (manpower
support), capacity to operate digitally, and capacity development to improve service
delivery remain to be sufficient as observed by surveyed PESOs, as shown in Figure 25.
However, work arrangement and job opportunities were exemptions having only
received 49% and 34% responses, respectively, less than the combined neutral and
insufficient responses. On the other hand, qualitative data identified that implementation
uncertainty, decrease in the number of participating employers as program-partners,
poor IT infrastructure, and budget requirements are among the challenges observed vis-
à-vis effective implementation of employment facilitation services.

Figure 25. Proportion of PESOs by Available Resources and Degree of Sufficiency

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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, due to the pandemic, the implementation of some employment facilitation
services and mechanisms were momentarily interrupted as face-to-face transaction were
prohibited. To ensure that service access remained unhampered, adjustments in terms
of service targets and mode of service delivery were initiated both at the national and
local levels. In contrast, as service targets were reduced, service demand increased due
to the rise in numbers of unemployed persons, including, among others, workers who
were adversely affected by the pandemic and were involuntarily terminated. This
problem, however, was further exacerbated by the lack of available employment
opportunities as companies have either temporary or permanently closed. While services
remain to be accessible, albeit administratively limited in terms budget and service
targets, service delivery is seen to further improve as efforts were made for these services
to be digitally accessed and implemented.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Assess components of employment facilitation services that can still be further digitized and
be made accessible online. Anchored on the initial gains of innovating new ways and means
to improve service access and responsiveness amid the pandemic, specifically the online
module of JobStart Philippines and the development a virtual job fair system, PESO portal,
CGAP microsite, among others, it is recommended to conduct an assessment covering all
employment facilitation services, including their corresponding policy issuances, to
determine program components that can still be improved and digitized, particularly
aspects such as registration or application, conduct of orientation, and execution of
program deliverables. Among others, DOLE-BLE may consider revisiting its issuance,
Department Order No. 21, Series of 1993 (publication of job vacancies) and its regulation
governing recruitment and placement conducted digitally, including employment
facilitation via social media and online job boards.

Assess whether or not current developments and gains in digitizing employment facilitation
services should still be sustained once health protocols have been lifted. Considering that
health protocols such as social distancing and prohibition against social gatherings may
be lifted once the virus has been cleared or vaccines have been administered among
citizens, DOLE-BLE may consider conducting a cost-benefit analysis among its
employment facilitation services that have been digitized and made accessible online,
whether or not they should remain to be implemented digitally or be reverted. Further,
an evaluation may also be conducted to determine whether such digitization contributed
to an increase in target attainment or achievement of overall organizational outcomes in
the long run. Depending on the result of this evaluation, DOLE-BLE may consider
investing on improving its IT infrastructure to support the digital operation of its
employment facilitation services.

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Conduct an in-house survey among jobseekers on the responsiveness and accessibility of local
public employment facilitation services and mechanisms during the pandemic. Considering
the limitations of this study, particularly only covering the perspective of PESOs in terms
of determining accessibility and responsiveness of employment facilitation services
during the COVID-19 pandemic, the DOLE-BLE and PESOs may consider conducting an in-
house survey via digital means to determine the perspective of jobseekers, including
client-employers, and ultimately, triangulate the results of the PESO survey. To determine
the sampling frame, the DOLE-BLE may use its PEIS or PhilJobNet client database.

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