The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is closely monitoring the unemployment situation nationwide as it initiates mitigating measures to counter the weakening of the labor market brought about by increasing fuel prices.
The directive was based on the 2008 April Labor Force Survey results of the National Statistics Office (NSO), said Malacañang Deputy Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo.
According to Fajardo, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque directed all DOLE regional offices to closely monitor the unemployment situation in their respective areas of jurisdiction and to initiate interventions and safety nets.
Several mitigating measures include continuing employment facilitation program for local and overseas placement; jobs fair; jobs availability through the Internet at fieldjob.net; special program for employment of students during summer and semestral and Christmas breaks; the “Tulay” Tulong Alalay sa Mga Taong May Kapansanan program; capacity building services for livelihood (rural worker for self-employment); and for the informal sector, the DOLE adjustment measures program (for displaced workers or those for training /retraining), Fajardo added. (PIA/Bohol)