The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) plans to hold another special job fair in Calabarzon for Filipino workers affected by the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, the Director of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Patrick Patriwirawan, stated that the job fair will take place on December 6.
"This is part of our employment promotion services," he said.
Last week, the Department of Labor held a job fair for offshore gaming operator workers, providing employment opportunities for affected employees, as the industry will cease operations in the country on December 31.
On November 19 and 20, a two-day job fair was held at the SM Asia Mall Music Hall in Pasay City, attracting 298 job seekers from the industry, with 38 being hired on the spot.
Meanwhile, Patriwirawan mentioned that the department is also assisting POGO workers in processing their unemployment insurance benefits, with 435 applicants currently applying.
He said these workers are also being referred to the nearest Public Employment Service Office (PESO) for job matching and career development support services.
House POGO Hearing
Meanwhile, Manila's 6th District Representative and co-chair of the House Quadripartite Committee, Bienvenido Abante, hopes to conclude the hearings on POGO next month, shifting focus to issues of illegal drugs and extrajudicial killings (EJK).
"We hope to finish the hearings on POGO in December," he said at the "Balitaan sa Harbor View" forum of the Manila City Hall Reporters Association (MACHRA).
At the same time, he believes that Vice President Sara Duterte "should only help people, not attack them."
Abante noted that impeachment was their unrealistic idea, but the vice president's case could lead to plunder, depending on the details and amounts involved, which Congress is currently investigating.
He also described former President Rodrigo Duterte's call for the Philippine Armed Forces to intervene in the current political situation as "very dangerous and reckless."
Abante also praised the military's non-partisan stance and its loyalty to the people, the nation, and the constitution.
He also criticized Duterte for spreading disunity and questioned the appropriateness of his remarks, especially since he is a former commander-in-chief.
Regarding the Catholic Church's call to stop political bickering, Abante stated that this does not include a series of congressional investigations, which he believes are not political but issue-based.
"We are here to demand accountability and correct mistakes," Abante said, adding that the purpose of the House's investigations into important issues is to get answers, establish responsibility, and prevent the same mistakes from happening again in the future.
