Baguio City - The DOLE Regional Offices in Regions’ 1, 2 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) met to iron-out the details for a planned grand employment summit this February at the DOLE-CAR’s conference room on January 6, 2023, doing so to continue to align the available jobs of industries with the job seekers from schools and other technical-vocational institutions.

Part of today’s discussion revolved around identifying industries, schools and partner agencies and institutions from the facilitation side that shall attend as well as impart valuable information during the said activity, including the identification of the venue, date and other logistical details for the activity.

The labor summit aims to invite the presence of no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to lead the conduct of the activity as well as Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma.

In his welcome remarks, DOLE-CAR Regional Director Nathaniel V. Lacambra said that the activity serves as a final consultation meeting in order to plan the activity, stating its importance given the similarities between the three (3) regions as well as the activity’s potential as a framework that can be replicated by other regions.

“What we are about to do is important because of our commonalities and similarities especially in our industries centered on agriculture and with Region 01 being the educational centers in North Luzon. This is a way to address the peculiarities in our regions in order to more efficiently use the resources of the government,” RD Lacambra said.

DOLE-RO2 Regional Director Joel M. Gonzales meanwhile underscored the importance of the cooperation between and among the regions as the co-leads that shall steer the minutiae details of the upcoming activity.

“We want to achieve a Balance between Employment and Labor given the challenges we now face with the skills mismatch seen in the three regions. We shall do this through Building opportunities on employment, Bridging the gap, through labor and Making it happen by governance,” RD Gonzales said.

RD Gonzales also emphasized the importance of Committing to Align and Link the Three aspects he mentioned through a specific and updated labor and employment plan, forging alliances and linkages and measuring progress and improvement.

Working committees from the three (3) regions were also set during the activity so as to give the teams time to prepare and set up all the details with regards to the conduct of the activity.

DOLE RO2 Technical Support Services Division (TSSD) Chief Laura Diciano also presented the highlights during the 2022 Tri-Regional Labor Market Consultative Conference and Career Advocacy Congress as guide of the three regions in mapping out the conduct of the Labor Summit.

DOLE-RO1 Regional Director Exequiel Guzman meanwhile led the review of the current structure of employment and labor in North Luzon, highlighting the industries thriving that are opportunities for employment for job seekers moving forward.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to the DOLE R02 and CAR for the participation and let us strive to make this planned activity a success,” RD Guzman said in closing.

The coordination meeting was also graced by DOLE RO2 Assistant Regional Director Jesus Elpidio B. Atal, Jr., DOLE RO1 Assistant Regional Director Honorina Dian-Baga, DOLE-CAR Emerito Narag, DOLE-RO1 TSSD Chief Teresa Bonavente, DOLE-CAR TSSD George Lubin, Ms. Kathlyn Sabado, Mr. Timothy Zamora and Ms. Dionne Cleo Cruz, Employment Unit heads for Regions’ 2, CAR and Region 1. ###