Legarda wants amendment of PESO Act to provide more jobs for Pinoys

Senator Loren Legarda has refiled a measure seeking to amend Republic Act 8759 or the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Act of 1999 to provide more job opportunities for Filipinos.

Legarda stressed that an amendment to the existing law would address the "drawn-out issue of unemployment and underemployment in the Philippines."

She said the promotion of entrepreneurship will improve the skills of Filipinos and will encourage self-employment opportunities, which will lead to generating more jobs.

“The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that about 2.87 million Filipinos were unemployed in March 2022.  Meanwhile, the underemployment rate increased from 14% in February to 15.8% in March 2022,” Legarda said in a press release.

“The Department of Trade and Industry reported that entrepreneurs have managed to generate 62.4% of the country’s employment or over five million jobs. Inarguably, entrepreneurs play a key role in creating job opportunities and consequently in stimulating the country's economic growth,” she added.

Legarda's proposed measure intends to rename the PESO offices to Public Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office (PEESO) and establish a Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office (BEESO).

She co-authored the PESO Act during her first term as senator and has also co-authored Republic Act 10691, which initially amended the PESO Act.

Legarda refiled further amendments to the law as House Bill 631 during her term as deputy speaker in the House of Representatives.—Anna Felicia Bajo/AOL, GMA News