The local labor office is set to report to the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) the results of a survey of 50,000 Puerto Princesa residents on the kind of interventions they believe the government should prioritize to assist them to recover from the pandemic’s effects.
Conducted by barangay healthy economic recovery officers (HEROs) under the Mission Rebooting Activities through Community Engagements (RACE) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), local recovery officer JR Golifardo said Wednesday that they’re also set to submit to the regional office the profiles of local labor market situations in the city to identify the communities’ priority needs.
Golifardo noted that they had planned to interview around 180,000 people from Puerto Princesa’s 66 barangays for labor market analysis, but owing to obstacles such as differing quarantine limitations, weather, and the delivery of supplies, the aim was reduced to 50,000 locals.
On Friday, October 29, the city’s Mission RACE hopes to attain 80 to 100 percent of its goal of 50,000 participants. According to the most recent update, the team has encoded 35% of the locals, or 17,500 people, along with their histories.
“Ngayon ay nagkakaroon tayo ng mega encoding para mapaspasan, para ma-gather natin ang data. Ang interns natin ay nagka-conduct ng encoding para mahabol nga and then, as of now ay nasa 35 percent na tayo ng target. Hopefully by Friday ay maka-80 to 100 percent man lang tayo, okay na number ‘yon,” he said.
“Hopefully, ang pakiusap natin sa central office na ma-consider nila. Kung hindi man natin ma-meet ang target, hopefully ay 80 to 100 percent, 80 ang makuha natin,” he added.
Golifardo added that the Mission RACE collects all data from surveyed locals in each barangay, including work history. Then, a mapping will be done to determine which barangay has the largest employment rate and which sorts of help are available. After the labor market study is completed, a recommendation will be made to the national government.
The survey started in July and is expected to be forwarded to the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) by the end of October.
The Mission RACE is one of DOLE’s response programs enrolled under the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS). The adoption of NERS as the country’s master plan for the restoration of the labor market came after Presidet Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of Executive Order (EO) 140.
Based on September’s record, Golifardo shared that most of the locals wanted to avail livelihood intervention from the government, followed by skills training, then employment facilitation.
“Hopefully, at the end of the month ay ma-consolidate na natin lahat kung ano ang nais ng ating mga kababayan para ma-present na natin ano ‘yong nais ng ating mga kababayan. Para ma-present na natin sa regional at sa central office,” he said.
“Sa pag-start ng program natin, kumuha tayo sa population ng PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority). Aside doon, humingi tayo ng target sa barangay. Even ‘yong 15 years old and above na kanilang mga kabarangay na pwede nang o nais na magtrabaho o nais magkaroon ng intervention dahil sa pandemic, nagbigay sila ng target,” he added.
Aside from individuals, a survey was also done on enterprises to determine vacancies and assist them in matching a worker who is qualified for the job description and qualification.
He also said that the city of Puerto Princesa is the only local government entity in Palawan that is a part of Mission RACE.
“Kasi ang Puerto Princesa is active through the City PESO through Manager (Bong) Lopez, very active sila sa DOLE. And lahat ng compliances nila kay DOLE, sila ‘yong nakakapagbigay agad, so napili na partner agad si Puerto Princesa,” he said.
The survey and encoding ran for four months, and Golifardo is suggesting the continuation of the Mission RACE next year.
“Gagawa rin tayo ng comment and suggestion sa regional and central office na matuloy pa ito by next year para ‘yong mga hindi natin naabot dahil sa hindrances natin ay maabot na natin,” he said.
