The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod has approved on first reading a proposed ordinance seeking to elevate the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) into a full-fledged department, Councilor Caesar Distrito, SP Committee on Human Resource chair, said Tuesday, April 14.
The measure aims to transform PESO into the Public Employment Services Department (PESD), strengthening the City Government’s capacity to deliver responsive, inclusive, and technology-driven employment services to Bacolodnons, Distrito, who authored the proposed ordinance, said.
Distrito said the proposed ordinance is anchored on national policies such as Republic Act No. 8759, as amended, which mandates the strengthening of PESOs, as well as Republic Act No. 7160, which empowers local government units to design responsive organizational structures.
“This measure is about future-proofing our employment services. By elevating PESO into a department, we are institutionalizing a stronger, more responsive system that can better address the evolving demands of the labor market and provide real opportunities for our people,” Distrito said.
The ordinance retains all existing functions and programs of PESO while introducing key enhancements such as expanded job matching and labor market analytics, entrepreneurship and livelihood facilitation, inclusive employment services for vulnerable sectors, and the adoption of digital systems alongside decentralized service delivery, he said.
A key feature of the proposed measure is the establishment of Barangay Employment Service Office (BESO) Desks in all barangays to bring employment facilitation services closer to communities. These desks will serve as frontline access points and will be supervised and coordinated by the PESD, Distrito added.
The ordinance also mandates the creation of a Digital Employment Platform that will provide online job matching and applicant registration, maintain employer and labor market databases, ensure accessibility through web and mobile platforms, and integrate with national government systems, he said.
Under the proposed restructuring, the PESD will be headed by a Department Head, supported by an Assistant Department Head, and organized into five major divisions covering employment facilitation, labor market information and research, training and career development, livelihood and entrepreneurship, and administrative and support services.
The measure further strengthens institutional capacity through the expansion of plantilla positions and the establishment of a more robust organizational structure, subject to budgetary availability and applicable civil service rules.
Implementation of the ordinance will be undertaken in phases, prioritizing core services, barangay-level access, and digital transformation initiatives.
“This is a long-term investment in jobs, in skills, and in economic opportunity. We want a PESO that is not just functional, but truly transformative for every Bacolodnon seeking employment or livelihood.” Distrito said.*
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