MACROHON, SOUTHERN LEYTE - The PESO Managers from all over the region ended the Regional PESO Congress held here at Kuting Reef Beach Resort with renewed hopes of even greater service to their respective constituents.
This was the pervading consensus among the participants of the PESO Congress here as they concluded the important event. Representatives of each province in the region gave their impressions of the Congress in behalf of their co-participants. A common thread in their testimonies was their conclusion that this latest Congress was definitely different from previous Regional PESO Congresses and was a very rewarding experience!
DOLE Regional Director Forter G. Puguon aptly summed up their sentiments in his Closing Message when he said, “I think all of us are one in saying that this 9th Regional PESO Congress is in many ways a special and memorable one for all of us- in terms of the preparation, the attendance, the venue, the selection of topics, the resource persons who were mostly from the ranks of the PESO Managers themselves, the funding mechanism and the warm camaraderie generated among all the PESO Managers and participating staff of the DOLE Regional and Provincial Offices.”
It was evidently worth the while of the PESO Managers who traveled from their provinces to attend the Congress here. The learning sessions have enhanced their knowledge and understanding of the key role that their office, the Public Employment Service Office, plays in the socio-economic development of their respective LGUs and in the pursuit of excellence of their respective educational institutions.
The Congress opened with a warm welcome from Macrohon’s elegant lady Mayor, Honorable Fe Edillo, and an inspiring message pitched in by youthful beauty Ms. Guia Mercado in behalf of her father, Congressman Roger G. Mercado who was still in Manila.
The main proceedings of the Congress took off first on the “Criteria of the Search for the Best PESO Award.” Urging all the PESO Managers to actively eye for the awards, TSSD Chief Flordeliz D. Geonzon clearly explained the process and the requirements for the award.
The participants were thereafter treated to a series of very informative and educational topics on Labor Market Information such as the “Labor Employment Concepts”, the “Four-Window Model of the Public Employment Service Office”, the “Five Employment Aspects”, the “Labor Market Information in the Academe” and the “Labor Market Analysis of Region VIII”.
The topics were effectively discussed by PESO Managers Evelyn Gañas (Lawaan, Eastern Samar), Noel Arante (Calubian, Leyte), Raul Limpiado (Lope de Vega, Northern Samar), Virgelyn Udtohan (College of Maasin), and Aleksei Abellar (Sr. LEO, DOLE).
Aimed at empowering the PESO Managers, two more topics were presented, namely, “The PESO Manager-Characteristics, Attitude, Commitment & Capabilities” and “Career and Employment Coaching”. These were respectively discussed by PESO Managers Bernardita Lacbayo (Dulag, Leyte) and Michael de Lima (Barugo, Leyte).
In support of the move to institutionalize the PESOs, “A Roadmap Towards Strengthening the PESOs” was presented by Director Puguon, partly exemplified by the specific lead set by Catbalogan City which was explained in “The Catbalogan Process of PESO Institutionalization” by former PESO Manager Arturo Roque, now the Head of the Administrative Services of Catbalogan City. Thereafter, the PESO Managers buckled down to accordingly work out their respective action plans for 2010 in a simultaneous Planning Workshop by provincial groups. The Planning Workshop culminated in a Pledging Session specifically for the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) which was facilitated by IMSD Chief Cristina T. Longjas and Budget Officer Salvacion A. Yepez.
The PESO Congress was brought to its successful culmination in a simple Closing Program graced by the presence of Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Albert Esclamado who represented Southern Leyte Governor Damian G. Mercado. SP member Esclamado thanked the DOLE Regional Office and PESOMA-EV for choosing the Province of Southern Leyte as the venue for the Regional PESO Congress. He underscored two impacts of the holding of the Congress in the province, namely, on the province’s development, since with its PESO Managers’ empowerment, the province will have greater gains in terms of employment opportunities for its people, and on tourism development for, as they go back home, the PESO Managers will be talking about their experience and good stay here in Southern Leyte.
And to spice up the closing program, the awarding of Certificates of Recognition and cash incentives of P2,000 check each to sixty (60) most active PESO Managers was given by Director Puguon, together with SP Member Esclamado, PESOMA-EV President Noel Arante, and Asst. Reg’l Director Cyril Ticao, assisted by Southern Leyte Field Office head Fe Norma D. Valuis and TSSD Chief Flordeliz Geonzon.
In his closing message, Director Puguon was profuse in his appreciation and thanks for the very successful and meaningful conduct of the Congress. He thanked his colleagues at the DOLE Regional Office, especially the TSSD headed by Flordeliz Geonzon and her Focal Person on Employment Programs, Sr. LEO Bernadette Navarra, who have been both at the forefront of the preparations for and conduct of the Congress, and the IMSD headedby Cristina Longjas. He also thanked his colleagues at the different Provincial Field Offices headed by ARD Cyril Ticao (Western Leyte Field Office), Chief Marites Viñas (Northern Leyte F.O.), Chief Fe Norma Valuis (Southern Leyte F.O.), Chief Ma. Letecia Cayanong (Biliran F.O.), OIC Chief Fe Estrella (Samar F.O.), Chief Pat Bigcas (Northern Samar F.O.) and OIC Chief Aleksie Abellar (Eastern Samar F.O.).
Likewise, he thanked the leaderships in Southern Leyte, Congressman Mercado, Governor Mercado who spent dinner time with them on the second day, and SP Member Albert Esclamado who really stayed throughout the closing program and the socials that followed, Mayor Fe Edillo of host municipality Macrohon, and PESOMA-EV President Noel Arante. He was also exuberant in thanking the Kuting Reef Beach Resort for the excellent accommodation and food , as well as the friendly service and attention to the participants’ needs during the whole duration of the Congress.
In concluding his message, he expressed his fervent hope that the Congress has rejuvenated all the PESO Managers for another year of committed and greater service to our common constituents in the region. “I hope we have been rejuvenated to give our best in the service of God by serving our fellowmen”, he said. (VIRGILIO DOROJA, JR.)
