26 local chief executives from the Zamboanga Peninsula Region signified their commitment to institutionalize their respective Public Employment Service Office (PESO) as a result of the one-day Local Chief Executives (LCE) Forum organized by the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office IX (DOLE 9) on October 6, 2017 at the Roof Deck, Garden Orchid Hotel, Zamboanga City.

Director Ofelia B. Domingo expressed that the LCE forum is an activity designed to orient LCEs on DOLE's Programs and Services particularly on employment facilitation and to solicit their support for the institutionalization of the PESO.

This objective was further emphasized during the speech of Keynote Speaker DOLE Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod where he shared that by strengthening employment facilitation at the countryside, at the grassroots level, we are providing access to quality employment opportunities to every working Filipino.

A total of 56 LCEs were in attendance: 26 from Zamboanga del Norte Province, 16 from Zamboanga del Sur Province, 13 from Zamboanga Sibugay, 1 from Isabela City and 1 from Zamboanga City. Out of the 56 participants, 26 were identified as Mayors.

The number of commitments to institutionalize the PESO came after Tagum City Mayor Allan S. Rellon's presentation where he shared Tagum City's journey to PESO institutionalization, its impacts to their constituents and the various accomplishments of PESO Tagum. Atty. Alvin B. Curada, DOLE Mediator-Arbiter then shared vital points of the LCEs' role on Provincial and City Tripartite Industrial Councils and on Labor Standards and Occupational Safety and Health Standards.

During the program, 60 deserving LGU-partners were awarded with Plaques of Recognition to highlight their support in the successful implementation of DOLE's programs and services in their respective areas.

LCEs also pledged 3,270 slots for Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) 2018 where poor but deserving students are employed during the summer vacation to support their education.

Other activities include the launch of the DOLE LGu e-Locator, an online service that allows users to view DOLE's programs and services provided to cities and municipalities, the number of people benefitted and amount allocated for each project; and the soft-launch of the Online SPES allowing for faster payment of DOLE's 40% SPES Salary.

The LCE Forum is a component event highlighted by this year's Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan Fair, a joint program undertaken by DOLE and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which aims to help achieve the government's goal of generating 7.5 million jobs by 2022.