Bohol News Daily

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Construction workers enlist at DPWH Bohol

Written by anyajulia on 09 March 2009

SHELTERING the poor who would be most affected by the fallout, the government has caused massive job openings for the unemployed to stack them with the buying power.

In fact, through the government’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP), all government agencies have virtually opened its doors to workers seeking temporary jobs enough to tide them over the global economic strain.

Leading the pack here in Bohol is the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The agency is now putting up a database of skilled workers in construction work, those on the list would be given top priority by contractors who bag the 1260 government infrastructure projects nationwide, says source from DPWH.

The database acts as the ones with the top pick priorities, especially during job fairs to be set up in the provinces, says Regional Director Josefino Rigor in a faxed message to PIA.

By agreement with the contractors, DPWH submits the database to the winning bidders.

With this, the government public works agency asks skiled workers as foremen, heavy equipment operators, steelmen, laborers, road maintenance men, masons, plumbers and other construction related skills to enlist at the Bohol First Engineering District, at New Capitol Site here in Tagbilaran on or before March 17, when a job fair is slated.

Likewise, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are on a similar program looking for warm bodies.

The PNP recruitment is part of the executive directive to recruit 15,000 police officers in five years, which started in 2006, PNP sources also reveal.

These new bloods, totaling 7,000, will replace the retiring, dead and dismissed police officers in the last semester of 2008 and for the first semester of 2009, the source added.

Applicants however need to go through series of examinations and trainings.

Those who pass will have year-long Field Training Program (FTP) at the Police National Training Institute.

For those considering military careers, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has 6,7000 slots which will be divided among the Army, the Airforce, the Navy and the technical services, government sources also pointed out.

Applicants should be 18 to 23 year olds, physically fit and have obtained at least 72 college units.

And just like their counterparts in the police, applicants must pass examinations and trainings.

Moreover, at this time when job-hunting work force needs all the help they can get to seek postings on tight budget, the labor authorities have proposed online interviews.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque has asked for the adoption of internet technology to reduce costs of job hunting for the unemployed.

Roque said internet facilities, which can be set up in DOLE regional offices, will bridge the distance between applicants and their prospective employers who are based abroad.

TESDA reported Filipinos are preferred workers in Canada, Australia and in the Middle East in sectors of health care and construction. (rachiu/PIA)

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