Region’s unemployment stands at 4.4 percent

TACLOBAN CITY- About 9,700 new jobs opportunities are up for grabs, ready to be filled up by those in need of employment from the region.
This was disclosed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as it readies activities related to the 117th Labor Day on May 1.
Yahya Centi, labor regional director, said in a press conference that about 44 agencies have signed up for the jobs fair to be conducted during the Labor Day celebration to be held at the Tacloban Convention Center or astrodome.
According to him, of this number of participating agencies, 32 are for local employment while the remaining 12 are for overseas employment.
Centi, however, said that of the 7,265 jobs available during the jobs fair, 6,065 are for overseas deployment like Saudi Arabia and Australia, among others.
The DOLE regional director added that another jobs fair will also be held in Ormoc City where 2,504 vacancies are also available to be participated by 19 business establishments.
The holding of the jobs fair, he said, will help address the region’s problem on unemployment which is at 4.2 percent.
Centi said that based on experience in the past jobs fair, about 15 to 30 percent are hired on the spot.
It’s because, he said, the skills or experiences of those who are hunting for jobs does not fit to the requirements needed or failed to bring needed documents.
Thus, their office has conducted its pre-registration to ensure that those who will proceed to the jobs fair have all the needed requirements or documents, Centi said.
Meantime, the DOLE regional director said that workers in the region have to wait perhaps until July if there will be an adjustment of the current wage order.
The current wage order, issued on June 25, 2018, pegged the daily minimum wage for agriculture workers at P275 while P305 for non-agriculture workers.
Centi said that they have started to review the current wage order by having a consultation which they started in Ormoc City last April 10.
“We have already started the public consultation which is necessary because we would like to look into the socio-economic indicators and the state of economy (of the region),” he said.
Among the indicators that they will consider during the public consultations are the increase of prices, and inflation rate, among others.
Centi, however, could not say yet as to how much the increase, if there will be, considering that they have only started the public consultation which they hope to finish before the current wage order as contained under Wage Order 20, expires on July 25.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Family and friends are seeking justice over the death of Raymark Malbas who was stabbed to death in Palo, Leyte amid Holy Week observance in the town.
The family found the dead body of Malbas at the grassy area in Barangay Castilla of the said town on Good Friday morning (April 19).
The 21-year-old victim sustained several wounds in different parts of his body.
Police are investigating the incident.
(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Education (DepEd) is conducting its rapid assessment on the possible damage to schools after the region was hit by a 6.5 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday (April 23).
This was disclosed by DepEd Regional Director Ramir Uytico who said that their central office has issued an order for them to conduct inspection to all of its facilities across the region.
Uytico added that all engineers, architects and disaster risk reduction management coordinators were instructed to lend support on the determination of the structural integrity and safety of buildings and facilities within 250 kilometer radius from San Julian, Eastern Samar which was the epicenter of the jolt.
It was emphasized that only when the structural integrity and safety of the building and facilities is assured can the students, teachers and personnel be allowed to enter the same. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)