The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is looking to improve the Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) to address unemployment and underemployment.

DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said they continue to enhance the PESOs and their services.

“Our primary initiative involves strengthening the nationwide network of Public Employment Service Offices, which have a proven track record of facilitating high placement rates,” he said in a statement Friday.

Aside from offering jobs, Laguesma said they wanted to ensure that decent work would be available.

“We continue to intensify our efforts to create sustainable careers, and not just jobs,” Laguesma said.

The September 2025 Labor Force Survey showed the unemployment rate was recorded at 3.8 percent, slightly higher than the 3.7 percent rate in September 2024.

Underemployment rate was recorded at 11.1 percent, lower than the 11.9 percent estimate in September last year.

The PESO is an employment service facility established in all key towns and cities, maintained by local government units, and linked with the DOLE.

There are a total of 1,592 PESOs, with 807 institutionalized nationwide.

Many sectors showed employment growth, such as construction (+514,000), fishing and aquaculture (+313,000), accommodation and food service activities (+307,000), human health and social work activities (+183,000), and agriculture and forestry (+126,000).

The agriculture sector reported an increase in employment for both year-on-year and month-on-month. (PNA)