EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1404
Senate
of tl;c ^teretarp
20 MAR-5 P4 33
RECEiVOn'’:
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
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
The Philippines has recently been reported with falling unemployment rate. 
However, the said decline has been slow and unstable which still makes the Philippines 
to have the highest unemployment rate in Asia. One of the reasons for this is due to the 
higher number of job seekers entering the labor market than the number of available 
vacancies.
With the policy of the State to promote equality of employment and 
entrepreneurship opportunities, this bill seeks to rename the current Public Employment 
Service Office (PESO) to the Public Employment and Entrepreneurship Office (PEESO) 
and to create the Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office (BEESO) 
which shall provide a more efficient system that would facilitate and regulate the labor


market by bridging the gap between the job seekers and employers. This measure aims 
to offer employment and entrepreneurship opportunities tailored to each job seeker's 
skills and interests through the comprehensive trainings and consultations. Lastly, this bill 
intends to inform and educate the Filipino job seekers on the programs and services of 
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
M. LAPI
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
o( UK
20 MAR “5 P4 33
SENATE
S. No. 1404
RECE.VT0T/.
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8759f 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:
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SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 8759, otherwise known as the 'Public
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Employment Service Office Act of 1999", as amended by Republic Act No. 10691, is
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hereby further amended to read as follows:
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"SEC. 3. Establishment of the Public Employment AND
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP Service Office and THE BARANGA Y EMPLOYMENT
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AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OFFICE. - To carry out the above declared
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policy, there shall be established in all provinces, cities, and
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municipalities a Public Employment AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Service
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Office, hereinafter referred to as 'PEESO'.


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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 BESO, 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 nongovernment organizations 
(NGOs) or educational institutions (Els), the DOLE may enter into a 
memorandum of agreement for the NGO and El 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."


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SECTION 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 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."
SECTION 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 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


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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 [Pjprovide persons with [qualities] 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP ENHANCEMENT INTERVENTIONS, access 
to the various livelihood and self-employment and information 
programs offered by both government and non-government 
organizations at the provincial, city, municipal and barangay 
levels by undertaking referrals for such program;
(d) Undertake employability enhancement trainings or seminars for 
job seekers, as well as those who would like to change career or 
enhance their employability;
(e) Provide employment or occupational counselling, career 
guidance, mass motivation and values development activities;
(f) Conduct pre-employment counselling 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."


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SECTION 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."
SECTION 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;


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(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 El 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, [TJthe 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;


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


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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."
SECTION 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 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,