Gov’t urges workers displaced by global economic crisis to register in Phil-Jobnet system

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque has encouraged workers displaced in local industries due to the global economic crisis to also use the DOLE’s Phil-Jobnet system, which is a convenient, readily available job search service provided by the Department of Labor and Employment locally and globally in the world wide web, or the Internet, on a continuous, 24/7 basis.

The Labor Chief said that through the Phil-Jobnet, which is readily accessible at www. phil-job.net or at www.dole.gov.ph, workers displaced by the global crisis will have resort and access to available job opportunities actively posted by various industries and employers here and abroad.

Roque, citing a report of the DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), bared that there are currently more than 46,300 job vacancies of various categories available in the Phil-Jobnet system.

Roque added that the Phil-Jobnet system, under the supervision of the BLE, is actively complemented by the 100 user-friendly GMA (Greater Modular Access) Job Center kiosks in strategic locations nationwide such as shopping malls and Local Government Units (LGUs) in cities and towns, reinforcing the DOLE’s entire efforts, in cooperation with the social partners, to preserve and sustain job opportunities amidst the global crisis.

Roque was further apprised by Director Criselda R. Sy of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) that there are Philjobnet workstations available to workers and job seekers nationwide.

Sy said that such workstations are available mainly in the country’s Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) network found among LGUs, particularly in pertinent cities and towns with available Internet service, complemented by the 100 strategic GMA job centers around the country.

“As available in the PESOs in locations where Internet is available, trained PESO personnel can assist and orient users in accessing and availing of the services of the Phil-Jobnet system in such workstations,” she said.

“But displaced workers may readily access the Phil-Jobnet using any Internet-connected computers whether at worksites, at home, or in public computer shops,” she also emphasized.

Meanwhile, Deputy Administrator Teresita R. Manzala, who heads the DOLE’s National Reintegration Center for Overseas Filipino Workers (or NRCO), advised displaced OFWs to avail of the free services and pertinent programs geared at assisting them in partnership with other agencies participating in the agency’s “One-Stop Center para sa mga returning OFWs na na-displace ng global economic crisis.”

Manzala said that under the NRCO’s One-Stop Center, pertinent agencies have made available a package of assistance and services for the benefit of OFWs.

The NRCO Chief said that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-NRCO (tel. nos. 528-0848, 526-2633, 526-2392) are providing active livelihood support, counseling and guidance to displaced OFWs.

Together with the NRCO, DOLE and non-DOLE agencies of the government are also providing the necessary interventions to alleviate the plight of displaced OFWs, including: the DOLE’S Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) -- referral service for local employment; Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) -- legal assistance for those displaced OFWs with money claims, and referral services for overseas employment; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) -- scholarship training, retooling, and skills upgrading; Technology Resource Center (TRC) – business counseling and training to start a livelihood project; Social Security System (SSS) – OFW Family Club Cards for pertinent services and benefits; and, PhilHealth – Family health card for a one-year free health insurance, Manzala said.