Institute for Labor Studies researchers Carl Sean E. Pablico and John Emmanuel B. Villanueva, both from the Employment Research Division (ERD), presented their studies during the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Region 1 event, and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Region 7 Regional PESO Congress, on 28 October 2021 via Zoom.

Acting Chief Labor and Employment Officer Villanueva’s presented his 2020 study with title, “Public Employment Services and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence of Linkage from the Philippines,” at the PSA event for the agency’s celebration of the 32nd National Statistics Month.

The study offered empirical evidence on the linkage of Public Employment Services (PESs) and labor market outcomes (LMOs) from a developing country context. Using quantitative method, it assessed the effect of access to institutionalized Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) on regional unemployment and underemployment rates.

The research found that an increased presence of institutionalized PESOs is significantly associated with lower regional unemployment. Results further suggest that access to institutionalized PESOs is particularly indispensable at the municipal level and among regions outside of the country’s National Capital Region (NCR) in addressing unemployment.

Meanwhile, Mr. Pablico, Senior Labor and Employment Officer, presented his study titled, “Facilitating Work in the New Normal: An Assessment of Local Public Employment Facilitation Services and Mechanisms in the Philippines,” at the DOLE RO 7 Regional PESO Congress.

The study investigated how providers of local public employment facilitation services have attuned themselves to the new normal and ensured that the services and mechanisms they implement remained accessible, responsive, and unhampered considering the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study revealed that the implementation of some employment facilitation services and mechanisms were momentarily interrupted due to movement restrictions imposed as a response to prevent COVID-19 community transmission, and that implementers had to change their overall strategy in terms of service targets and mode of service delivery to ensure service access.