PSAC partners with JobStreet, industry groups to boost Pinoys' employment

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) on Thursday inked a partnership with a digital job-seeking platform and various industry groups to help Filipinos find work opportunities. 

Dubbed the “Trabaho para sa Bayan: J.O.B.S. Commitment Ceremony,” the signing ceremony of PSAC, JobStreet by SEEK, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and Philippine Exporters Confederation (PHILEXPORT) and the SM Group was held in Pasay City. 

The PSAC is a government advisory body formed to provide inputs on best ways to grow the economy, to include generating employment as well as investments, given the crucial role of the private sector in the country’s economic development.

“With today’s gathering of giants of industries, big associations, and government leaders, we hope to contribute to providing employment opportunities to more of our fellow Filipinos,” said SM Foundation executive director Deborah Sy.

Present during the signing were Secretary Frederick Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs; Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma; Joey Concepcion, PSAC Lead for Jobs and founder of Go Negosyo; Teresita Sy-Coson, head of PSAC’s J.O.B.S. (Job Opportunities Building Skills) initiative and Vice Chairperson of SM Investments Corporation; PCCI chairman George Barcelon; PhilExport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr.; and ECOP chairman Edgardo Lacson.

Also present were Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, and Pasay City Rep. Antonino Calixto.

According to PSAC, the partnership will provide a digital platform for job seekers to find employment opportunities online. The business and civic groups, meanwhile, committed to using the platform to make their job vacancies available online.

“SM is in the pilot stages of our upskilling initiative. We are currently focusing on digital upskilling, with the aim of expanding this partnership later on to other companies. Our goal is to train and upskill the Filipino workforce to enhance their employability in their chosen field,” Sy added. 

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the number of unemployed Filipinos increased to 2 million or an unemployment rate of 3.9% in March due to the  effect of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon and the African swine fever (ASF) on the agriculture sector.—Sundy Locus/AOL, GMA Integrated News