NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
House Bill No._______ 
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr. 
AN ACT 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8759, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OFFICE ACT OF 1999, AS 
AMENDED, TO INCLUDE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE SCOPE OF 
THE LAW, TO RENAME THE PRESENT PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT 
SERVICE OFFICE (PESO) INTO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICE (PEESO), AND TO ESTABLISH THE 
BARANGAY EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICES 
(BEESO) NATIONWIDE, DEFINING ITS ROLE WITHIN THE EXISTING 
NETWORK, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Entrepreneurship is one of the driving forces for economic growth. 
According to the Department of Trade and Industry, Micro, Small and 
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are responsible for employing 62.66% of the 
country‟s workforce or equivalent to more than 5 million jobs.1 Corollary to 
that, data shows that 2.87 million were unemployed in March 2022.2 In a 
nation that is continuously plagued by high unemployment rates, it is evident 
how small businesses play a key role in sustaining our economy. 
Therefore, this bills seeks to encourage entrepreneurship by including 
it in the purview of the current Public Employment Service Office (PESO). To 
make it simpler to locate job and entrepreneurial possibilities, PESO will be 
renamed to Public Employment and Entrepreneurship Office (PEESO) and a 
1 https://www.dti.gov.ph/resources/msme-statistics/ 
2 https://psa.gov.ph/content/employment-rate-march-2022-estimated-942-percent 
July 27, 2022
4:40 pm
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Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office (BEESO) would 
be established. 
 
In line with the policy adopted by its original proponent Senator Loren 
Legarda, this bill therefore likewise serves as a counter-part House Bill. It is 
for the reasons stated above that the passage of this measure is earnestly 
sought. 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANTONIO B. LEGARDA JR. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
House Bill No._______ 
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr. 
AN ACT 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8759, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OFFICE ACT OF 1999, AS 
AMENDED, TO INCLUDE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE SCOPE OF 
THE LAW, TO RENAME THE PRESENT PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT 
SERVICE OFFICE (PESO) INTO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICE (PEESO), AND TO ESTABLISH THE 
BARANGAY EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICES 
(BEESO) NATIONWIDE, DEFINING ITS ROLE WITHIN THE EXISTING 
NETWORK, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 8759, otherwise known as the 
‘Public Employment Service Office Act of 1999”, as amended by Republic Act No. 
10691, is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 3. Establishment of the Public Employment AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP Service Office AND THE BARANGAY 
EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICE. – To 
carry out the above declared policy, there shall be established in 
all provinces, cities, and municipalities a Public Employment 
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AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Service Office, hereinafter referred 
to as „PEESO‟.  
TO SUPPORT THE PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL 
PEESO, 
A 
BARANGAY 
EMPLOYMENT 
AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICE, HEREIN REFERRED TO AS 
„BEESO‟, SHALL BE ESTABLISHED IN ALL BARANGAYS 
NATIONWIDE. THE BEESO SHALL EXTEND THE REACH OF 
THE MUNICIPAL PEESO TO THE RURAL AREAS WHERE 
THE BULK OF EMPLOYMENT MODE IS NOT WAGE-BASED 
BUT BASED ON SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND AVAILMENT OF 
LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES.  THE CREATION OF THE 
BEESO SEEKS TO HELP IMPROVE THE ACCESS OF THE 
RURAL 
WORKFORCE 
TO 
EMPLOYMENT 
AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SERVICES.  
THE PEESO AND THE BEESO shall be operated and 
maintained by local government units (LGUs). The PEESOs 
AND THE BEESOs shall be linked to the regional offices of the 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for coordination 
and technical supervision, and to the DOLE central office, to 
constitute 
the 
national 
public 
employment 
AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP service network. 
 The PEESO OR BEESO, AS THE CASE MAY BE, shall be 
under the office of the governor, city municipal mayor, and 
barangay chairman. The PEESO OR BEESO, AS THE CASE MAY 
BE, shall be initially organized by and composed of a PEESO OR 
BEESO manager and may be assisted by a labor and 
employment officer (LEO) as may be determined by the LGU. 
Upon the request of accredited Non-Governmental 
Organizations (NGOs) or Educational Institutions (Els), the 
DOLE may enter into a Memorandum of Agreement for the 


NGO and EI to establish, operate and maintain a PEESO AND 
BEESO and a job placement office, respectively. 
To harmonize the provision of employment AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP services in a given territorial jurisdiction, 
the PEESO AND BEESO at the NGOs and the job placement 
office in Els shall coordinate their activities with the appropriate 
LGU PEESO OR BEESO, AS THE CASE MAYBE.” 
Sec. 2. Section 4 of RA 8759, as amended by RA 10691, is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 4. Objectives of the PEESO AND BEESO. - In general, 
the PEESO AND BEESO shall ensure the prompt, timely, and 
efficient delivery of employment AND ENTREPRENEURIAL 
services and provision of information on the other DOLE 
programs. 
Specifically, the PEESO/BEESO shall:  
(a) 
Provide 
a 
venue 
where 
people 
could 
explore 
simultaneously 
various 
wage 
employment 
AND 
ENTREPRENEURIAL option and [actually] seek the 
assistance they prefer; 
(b) Serve as referral and information center for the various 
services and programs of DOLE and other government 
agencies present in the area; 
(c) 
Provide 
clients 
with 
adequate 
information 
on 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, employment, and labor market 
situation in the area;  
(d) Network with other PEESOs AND BEESOs within the 
region on employment for job exchange purposes[.] AND 
WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT, NON-GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES AS WELL AS WITH THE PRIVATE AND 
BUSINESS SECTORS FOR INFORMATION EXCHANGE 
AND ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES.” 


Sec. 3. Section 5 of RA 8759, as amended by RA 10691, is hereby 
further amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 5.  Functions of the PEESO AND BEESO.  The 
PEESO and BEESO shall have the following functions:  
(a) Encourage employers to REGULARLY submit to the 
PEESO AND BEESO [on a regular basis] a list of job 
vacancies in their respective establishments in order to 
facilitate the exchange of labor market information 
between job seekers and employers by providing 
employment information services to job seekers, both for 
local and overseas 
employment, and recruitment 
assistance to employers; 
(b) Develop 
and administer testing and evaluation 
instruments for effective job selection, training, and 
counselling; 
(c) SERVE AS VENUE FOR CONVERGENCE BY THE 
APPROPRIATE AGENCIES TO [P]provide persons with 
[qualities] 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
ENHANCEMENT 
INTERVENTIONS, access to the various livelihood and 
self-employment and information programs offered by 
both government and non-governmental organizations at 
the provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels by 
undertaking referrals for such program; 
(d) Undertake employability enhancement training[s] or 
seminars for job seekers, as well as those who would like 
to change careers or enhance their employability; 
(e) Provide employment or occupational counseling, career 
guidance, mass motivation, and values development 
activities; 
(f) Conduct pre-employment counseling and orientation to 
prospective local and, most especially, overseas workers; 


(g) Provide reintegration assistance services to returning 
Filipino migrant workers; 
(h) Prepare and submit to the local Sanggunian an annual 
employment FACILITATION plan and budget including 
other regular funding sources and budgetary support of 
the PEESO AND THE BEESO; [and] 
(i) REFER JOB APPLICANTS WHO MAY NEED FURTHER 
TRAINING OR RETRAINING TO THE TECHNICAL 
EDUCATION 
AND 
SKILLS 
DEVELOPMENT 
AUTHORITY (TESDA) COMMUNITY TRAINING FOR 
EMPLOYMENT COORDINATOR (CTEC) AND OTHER 
TRAINING OR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; AND, 
(j) “Perform such functions as to fully carry out the objectives 
of this Act.” 
Sec. 4. Section 6 of RA 8759, as amended by RA 10691, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 6. Other Services of the PEESO AND BEESO. – In 
addition to the functions enumerated in the preceding section, 
THE PROVINCIAL PEESO SHALL CONDUCT PERIODIC JOB 
CLEARANCE MEETINGS WITH ALL THE MUNICIPAL AND 
CITY PEESOS WITHIN ITS AREA OF JURISDICTION FOR THE 
PURPOSE 
OF 
ELIMINATING 
DUPLICATIONS 
IN 
ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORTING TO THE DOLE AND THE 
LGUS. 
 
THE 
MUNICIPAL 
PEESO 
SHALL 
LIKEWISE 
EXERCISE THE ABOVE FUNCTION IN RELATION TO THE 
BEESOS.  MOREOVER, every PEESO AND BEESO shall 
undertake holistic strategies, programs, and activities to 
transform the PEESO AND BEESO into a modern public 
employment AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP service intermediary 
that 
provides 
multi-dimensional 
employment 
and 
entrepreneurship facilitation services.” 


Sec. 5. Section 7 of RA 8759, as amended by RA 10691, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 7. Role of the DOLE and the LGUs. – The LGUs, in 
coordination with the DOLE, shall establish the PEESO AND 
BEESO. 
It shall be the responsibility of the DOLE to: 
(a) Provide technical supervision, coordination, and capacity 
building to the PEESO AND BEESO; 
(b) Establish and maintain AN UPDATED computerized 
human resource and job registries to facilitate the 
provision and packaging of employment assistance to 
PEESO AND BEESO clients and the setting-up of intra- 
and 
inter[regional]GEOGRAPHICAL 
job 
clearance 
systems as part of the overall employment network; 
(c) Provide technical assistance and allied support services to 
the PEESO AND BEESO including, but not limited to, the 
training of PEESO AND BEESO personnel in the various 
aspects of employment AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
facilitation functions; 
(d) Set standards for the establishment and operation of the 
PEESO AND BEESO office and qualification standards for 
the PEESO AND BEESO personnel; 
(e) 
Extend 
other 
packages 
of 
employment 
AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP services to the LGU, NGO or EI 
concerned, including the conduct of job fairs, career 
development 
seminars, 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
INTERVENTIONS, and other activities; and 
(f) Monitor, assess, and evaluate the performance of the 
PEESO AND BEESO, including the job placement offices 
in Els. 


For their part, persons who are seeking employment, 
particularly the unemployed, shall register at the PEESO/BEESO 
for employment 
AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
facilitation 
assistance. The establishments, on the other hand, shall submit 
their job vacancies as well as applicants hired to the PEESO AND 
BEESO to ensure the availability of accurate information on 
supply and demand situation for various OCCUPATIONS AS 
WELL as skills in the labor market. 
The LGU shall establish a monitoring system wherein 
establishments operating in the locality shall report the 
following relevant labor market information to the concerned 
office of the LGU: 
(a) 
Present 
number 
and 
nature 
of 
jobs[;], 
SELF-EMPLOYMENT, LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES; 
and, 
(b) Projection of jobs that the establishment will provide or 
offer in the next five (5) years; 
PROVIDED THAT, [T]the information shall be submitted 
to the PEESO AND BEESO for job matching and to Els for career 
guidance of the students. 
PROVIDED 
FURTHER 
THAT, 
[I]it 
shall 
be 
the 
responsibility of the concerned LGU to: 
(i) Operate and maintain the PEESO AND BEESO;  
(ii) Ensure compliance with the operational standards set by 
the DOLE; 
(iii) Extend such assistance and services as may be necessary 
in 
the 
promotion 
of 
employment 
AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP within the area of jurisdiction; 
and, 
(iv) Submit to the DOLE periodic performance and 
accomplishment reports.” 


Sec. 6. Section 8 of RA 8759, as amended by RA 10691, is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 
SEC. 8. Administration of the PEESO AND BEESO Program. 
- The DOLE shall be primarily responsible for the administration 
of the PEESO AND BEESO Program through its Bureau of Local 
Employment, as well as its regional offices throughout the 
country. The Secretary of Labor and Employment, in 
coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government and in consultation with the presidents of the 
various local government leagues, namely the League of 
Provinces, the League of Cities, the League of Municipalities, 
and the League of Barangays, AND IN CONSULTATION WITH 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
TRADE 
AND 
INDUSTRY, 
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND 
SUCH 
OTHER 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES 
AND 
INSTRUMENTALITIES WHICH OFFER PROGRAMS ON 
EMPLOYMENT, LIVELIHOOD, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, 
shall accordingly promulgate, within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations for the 
effective implementation of the [Program] ACT.” 
Sec. 7. Section 9 of RA 8759, as amended by RA 10691, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 9. Funding. – The funding for the operation and 
maintenance of the PEESO AND BEESO shall be provided by the 
LGU from its internal revenue allotment and other internally 
generated income of the LGU concerned. Likewise, the operation 
and maintenance of the NGO PEESO AND BEESO and job 
placement offices of Els shall be charged against their internally 
generated income. 


Funds for the provision of technical assistance, training, 
and supervision of the PESO shall be included in the budget of 
the DOLE in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this 
Act shall be included by the Department of Budget and 
Management in the annual General Appropriations Act.” 
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of Labor and 
Employment shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days after its effectivity. 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. – If for any reason, any section or provision of 
this Act or any part thereof, or the application of such section, provision or 
portion is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder thereof shall not 
be affected by such declaration. 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations or any part thereof, which are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
Sec. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from 
the date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,