By CESAR JOLITO III

The Negros Occidental provincial government has officially launched “Negros Jobs,” a digital employment portal designed to modernize the province’s job-matching system and ease unemployment through faster, data-driven connections between employers and jobseekers.

The platform, developed by the Public Employment and Services Office (PESO), aims to centralize local employment opportunities and make recruitment more efficient for both workers and businesses.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II, in an interview during the launch, said the system addresses long-standing gaps in the local labor market.

“It was designed to match the needs of employers in the province with the skills and aspirations of our Negrenses who are seeking employment,” Diaz said, emphasizing that both sides stand to benefit from a streamlined digital process.

The new portal allows jobseekers to create profiles, upload credentials and view vacancies from verified companies.

“Our goal is to address unemployment by reducing the time individuals spend jobless. Through this portal, they can easily see available jobs that match their skills,” Diaz said.

“At the same time, employers benefit because they can identify the best candidates based on the data provided by jobseekers,” he added.

Meanwhile, employers can use the platform to filter applicants based on skill sets, experience and other relevant criteria — cutting down recruitment time and ensuring a better match.

Diaz noted that the portal also supports the province’s larger economic goals.

The initiative is implemented by PESO in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, and forms part of the province’s push for a more inclusive, tech-driven, and responsive employment ecosystem./CJ, WDJ