DOLE-7 eyes 20,000 jobs

The Department of Labor and Employment-7 (DOLE-7) is targeting the creation of 20,000 local jobs by 2028 as the region’s concrete and measurable contribution to the National Labor and Employment Plan (NLEP) 2023-2028, according to Regional Director Roy L. Buenafe.

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Buenafe has emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the region to work collectively toward achieving the goal.

He first made the declaration during the closing ceremonies of the regional consultation for the midterm review of the NLEP, held in Cebu City recently, which gathered 117 participants from various sectors and industries across the region.

Buenafe underscored the importance of shaping the regional employment plan around Central Visayas’ unique economic and labor context, noting that it should reflect local issues, opportunities, and sectoral strengths.

Buenafe called on government agencies, private sector partners, and local government units to take part in realizing the 20,000-job target, saying that the milestone would mark Central Visayas’““meaningfil and measurable legacy” in national labor development.

The key employment generators identified for the region include:

1.) IT-BPM sector, with over 1,200 BPO companies in Cebu employing around 170,000 workers and a projected 20 percent growth rate over the next three years;

2.) Construction industry, aspiring to contribute to the P130 trillion construction business nationwide;

3.) Manufacturing sector;