A May 16, 2013, press release from the Department of Labor and Employment

The convergent efforts of various national government agencies to bring decent incomes and improved lives to more Filipino workers in the countryside have resulted to the creation of over 2.3 million jobs under the Community-Based Employment Program (CBEP).

Secretary of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said this yesterday as she commended the Department of Labor and Employment’s partner agencies for the successful nationwide implementation of the government’s CBEP in 2012.

The 2012 data on CBEP accomplishment reflected a doubled increase in jobs generated compared to 1.238 million jobs created in 2011.

“Last year’s milestone of 2,324,311 actual jobs generated was an offshoot of the synergized efforts of 19 implementing government agencies and offices. Of this number, 922,713 were created from infrastructure while1,401,598 jobs from non-infrastructure projects and emergency employment programs,” Baldoz said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ranked 1st in the list of participating agencies with the most number of jobs generated, recording 383,733 jobs out of its enrolled programs. The National Housing Authority placed 2nd with 363,129 jobs and Department of Social Welfare and Development, 3rd with 354,584 jobs generated.

Other government agencies that contributed to the CBEP-generated jobs are Departments of Agrarian Reform, 292,116 jobs; Education, 51,924 jobs; Energy, 1,101 jobs; Health, 32,969 jobs; Science and Technology, 2,103 jobs; Tourism, 3,976; Trade and Industry, 10,572; and Transportation and Communication, 23,661 jobs.

Also included the roster of government offices with CBEP-generated jobs are Clark Development Corporation with 404 jobs; Commission on Filipinos Overseas with 66,766 jobs; Land Bank of the Philippines with 223,978 jobs; and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority with 4,867 jobs

On its part, the DOLE has contributed a total of 222,842 jobs from its year-round implementation of its two CBEP-enrolled programs, the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) and the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES).

President Benigno S. Aquino III has specifically tasked the DOLE as the Chairperson of the CBEP Steering Committee to work with other government agencies in moving the CBEP fast forward. The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) was designated as co-chair of the committee.

“For three years now, the government has been true to its promise of strengthening social protection and emergency employment programs to immediately create jobs so people can earn money to spend for their basic needs. This year is another opportunity for the CBEP implementing agencies to make its programs serve and benefit more workers, particularly in the country’s local communities,” Baldoz said.

The CBEP is a priority program of the Aquino administration, which provides short-term employment to skilled, semi-skilled, and low-skilled workers in the community through government undertaking, whether infrastructure, non-infrastructure, or emergency employment usually after a natural disaster has taken place.

Under the CBEP, jobs are generated from infrastructure projects of the government or Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) at the local community, such as the construction of roads, bridges, flood control structures, school buildings, and water systems, among others.

Jobs are also created from non-infrastructure projects, such as reforestation, coastal resource management, livelihood and self-employment programs, or from the emergency response, income-support programs that create short-term wage employment or self-employment in distressed/remote areas.

Earlier this year, the CBEP implementing agencies have already converged to finalize the list of enrolled programs and projects under CBEP with corresponding number of jobs to be generated.

Towards enhanced program reporting and monitoring of the year-round CBEP, the DOLE shall conduct a house-to-house training of the CBEP Online Monitoring and Reporting System to effect speedy, detailed, and transparent web-based reportorial mechanism between the DOLE and its partner agencies.

“Another year of cascading the fruits of government’s convergence closer to communities through the CBEP proved we can help more workers to be at par with minimum wage earners, in terms of income as we provide them community-based jobs within their reach,” Baldoz said.