8th National PESO Congress

The 8th National PESO Congress was held at Butuan City last October 1-3, 2008 at Almont Hotels Inland Resort.

Our Division was assigned to facilitate the PESO Congress. We were all busy for a month, preparing for this event. We arrived at Butuan City one day before the congress. We need to make sure that the venues and accomodations for 700 participants are already ok. Whew there are 700 participants and we are only 12 from the Bureau, excluding the top officials of DOLE.

The Congress is very helpful to different PESOs throughout the Country. There are speakers from Government agencies, particularly from POEA and top officials from DOLE. They discussed the different trends and issues regarding employment.

What is PESO?

The Public Employment Service Office or PESO is a non-fee charging multi-employment service facility or entity established or accredited pursuant to Republic Act No. 8759 otherwise known as the PESO Act of 1999.

To carry out full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all, and for this purpose, to strengthen and expand the existing employment facilitation service machinery of the government particularly at the local levels there shall be established in all capital towns of provinces, key cities, and other strategic areas a Public Employment Service Office, Hereinafter referred to as PESO, which shall be community-based and maintained largely by local government units (LGUs) and a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or community-based organizations (CBOs) and state universities and colleges (SUCs). The PESOs shall be linked to the regional offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for coordination and technical supervision, and to the DOLE central office, to constitute the national employment service network.

The congress also showcase the different presentations of PESOs. A dance competition, with hawaiian motive, to be presented on the last night of the Congress. The grand price was won by Region 12, the first-runner up goes to Region IV-A and the second-runner up went to Region 10. The grand price winner take home P10,000. There are other awards given to different PESOs. The BEST PESO take home P45,000.

On the next day, we were invited to attend the birthday party of a PESO Manager from Surigao City, Ms. Amor Morales, an active member of PESOPhil. It takes 2 hours from Butuan to Surigao City. The foods are great, litson baboy, crab meat , seafoods whew pampabata...hehehe.

On Oct. 4,2008, we went home with a smile. The 8th National PESO Congress was successful.