or certified. For CY 2003, TVET graduates in both the public and private institutions exceeded the one million target. For the same year, assessed graduates and workers totaled 232,823 while the skills of 109,443 workers were certified. 120. For in workers, public market information and job-skills matching facility designed to shorten the duration of job search by employment seekers as well as the filling up of vacancies by employers. As of July 28, 2004, the Phil-Jobnet has HRD interventions include academic and certificate for scholarship programs courses and short-term skills enhancement programs, behavioral and value development programs, as well as distance learning. The Civil Service Commission (CSC) grants one-year scholarships to state employees on no-work-full pay status towards completion of a baccalaureate degree or a masters degree state turn, undermines productive employment. 124. The Phil-Jobnet is automated labor administration. Between 1994 and 2000, 4,300 employees have been granted scholarships for master’s degree; 586 for bachelor’s degree completion and over 6,000 for skills upgrading. Overall more than 300,000 state workers at different levels were provided training opportunities under CSC-administered programs. in 2000 121. The DepEd implemented the National Computer Literacy Programs for teachers,administrators and support staff under the modernization program for teachers. posted over 415, 075 vacancies from ?, 429 firms, and registered some 379, 759 job seekers nationwide. 125. Republic Act No. 8042, otherwise known as the 1995 Migrant Workers Act, governs the recruitment placement and social protection of overseas Filipino workers. Under the Act, the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority (POEA) regulates recruitment and placement activities. A significant policy shift under the Act is the principle of selective deployment with the recognition that “the ultimate protection to all migrant workers is the possession of skills.” As such, the Government deploys and/or allows the deployment only of skilled Filipino workers. Also, the law provides for the deployment of workers only in countries where the rights of migrant workers are protected? 126. Section responses 2 to (g) the and Section persistent 4 are incidence which Filipino workers suffer while abroad. 127. The preventive of abuses, Employment facilitation and placement 122. to Established maximize in private 1992, sector the PESO and local is intended government participation in the development, operation and maintenance of a registry of manpower, skills and vacancies for effective job-matching. In 1992 alone 75 PESOs were established all over the country. As of May 2004, there were 1, 765 PESOs established in different areas of the country? of which 1, 531 were deemed fully operational. Through the PESOs, 3, 540, 111 job applicants were placed locally and overseas from 1999 to May 2004. Placed applicants to various companies totaled 3, 285, 960 out of 4, 973, 858 registered applicants. On the other hand, from January to April 2004 alone, PESO has placed 217, 329 job-seekers for local and overseas employment. (Reference may be made to par. 110.) 123, In an effort to continuously expand the concept of the PESO, DOLE, in coordination with the private sector, launched in 1998 a computerized system for Matching job vacancies for job placements, known aS Phil-Jobnet. Under this scheme, participating enterprises enroll their vacancies and skills needs ina computerized network, making job market information available at any time. Together with the PESO, the PhilJobnet is seen as a vital part in the package of long- term solutions to eliminate job mismatches which, in placement and facilitation services the POEA resulted in the deployment destinations abroad of 660,122 Filipino of to various workers in 1996, 747,696 in 1997, 831,643 in 1998 837,020 in 1999, 459,832 from 2000 to 2002, and 867,969 in 2003. Total remittances amounted to over US$4.2 billion in 1996, over US$5.7 billion in 1997, over US$4.9 billion in 1998, over US$6.7 billion in 1999 and over US$1.1 billion in January and February 2000 and US$ 7,640 billion in 2003. Standards-setting 128. The Labor Code provides for the minimum standards of employment, including wages, hours of work, rest days, overtime and night pay, safety and 2 Sec. 4, Deployment of Migrant Workers. The State shall deploy overseas Filipino workers only in countries where the rights of Filipino migrant workers are protected. The government recognizes any of the following as a guarantee on the part of the receiving country for the rotection and the rights of overseas Filipino workers: a) It has existing labor and social laws protecting the rights of migrant workers; (b) It is a signatory to multilateral conventions, declarations or resolutions relating to the protection of migrant workers; (c). It has concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with the Philippine government to protect the rights of overseas Filipino workers; and (d) It is taking positive, ae measures to protect the rights of migrant workers. PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT'S 2ND TO 4TH PERIODIC REPORT 75