Jairah, from Lingayen, dreams of repaying her parents’ hard work and sacrifices to support her education.
Her family used to be beneficiaries of the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program).
Her father is a carpenter, and their family made do with her parents’ earnings to meet their needs.
According to Pina Sarga, Jairah’s mother, “We receive payouts every other month. I save the money for things they need, like buying projects or books. It’s hard to borrow money, so I make sure I have something for them right away.”
After graduating from college with a degree in Business Administration, she faced significant challenges in finding a job.
She decided to monitor job openings posted on social media, especially through the Public Employment Services Office (PESO).
“I’m following the PESO page, so I see job fairs. Every time there’s one, I make sure to attend,” Jairah Phe Sarga, employee, mentioned.
Now, Jairah has been a bookkeeper and permanent employee at an appliance store for over a year.
“I’ve been working for quite some time now, and I’m happy with the first job PESO offered me. It helps me support my family,” Jairah added.
Michael shares a similar story.
With PESO’s help, he found a permanent job as a credit collector.
“I was determined to stay here and not leave. It’s all about perseverance, just keep going, and eventually, you’ll succeed. I’m grateful to PESO for selecting me for this job. I also thank Governor Guico for this opportunity, which greatly helps us. If anyone needs a job, I recommend going to PESO,” said Michael Cadiao, employee.
This initiative by PESO is one of the programs promoted by the provincial government under Governor Ramon V. Guico III’s leadership.
Upon assuming office, the governor promised 10,000 jobs for Pangasinenses.
According to PESO data, from July 2022 to October this year, 13,943 Pangasinenses have been employed locally, while 347 were hired overseas.
In total, 14,290 Pangasinenses now have jobs.
Governor Ramon V. Guico III stated, “There are 3,340 job applicants that were hired locally and overseas. We had a slight gain of 1.1% in the employment rate, from 94.4% in 2022 to 95.5% in 2023. PESO’s initiatives contribute to this, but the overall goal is to make Pangasinan an investment-friendly province to attract more businesses, thereby creating more jobs.”
With this success, the governor assured that the provincial government will continue collaborating with various agencies to increase job opportunities for Pangasinenses.
**VALERIE ANN DISMAYA
