It is undeniable that the Philippines, which used to export rice, sugar, coconut, abaca, copper, etc. to other countries, has long lost that economic prestige; for today the so-called Pearl of the Orient Seas can only export people. Thanks to our "great" political leaders whose interest cannot go beyond their pockets.

With a burgeoning population of 88.57 million, and foreign indebtedness amounting to P3.712 trillion; this means that every Pilipino (including the crawling babies) owes the world P41, 910.35. I pity my two grandchildren… even if both are only 3 and 4-year innocent kids, they already have a debt of P83, 820.70. And they are still in the nursery school.

Add the unemployment sting, and we have a nation that could not even buzz. Yet, it's not totally hopeless. Although the boat is sinking, it's still afloat. Thanks to those who triple their padding efforts to reach the opposite shore.

At the Provincial Capitol, one lighted candle is held by BEPO (Bohol Employment and Placement Office), which is directly under the Office of the Governor. Since it started its operation in 2002, it has extensively aided job-hunting Boholanos through its Job Fairs which it organizes and coordinates with DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment), POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration), and various private firms. Like the Island City Mall which has become a favorite venue for the initial employment process.

Another service that BEPO has consistently rendered to Bohol residents is the Mobile Passport Service that brings NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and Immigration Office personnel to Bohol, thus saving the Boholanos from travel expenses to and from Cebu City.

Heading the BEPO is Mr. Romulo Lagare Tagaan (RLT). This interview took place at ICM (Island City Mall) when another Mobile Passport Service was being undertaken on April 19, 2008.

LMP: What is BEPO?
RLT: BEPO stands for Bohol Employment and Placement Office; under the Office of the Governor. Our mandate is to provide employment opportunities and other services to our job seeking constituents.

LMP: Does it mean that if there is a change of government, the elected Governor can put a stop to the office?
RLT: Our office has been institutionalized. It has been created through an Executive Order of the Governor in 2002. We passed through the legal process created by the ordinance of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for the institutionalization of the office. This means that BEPO is no longer a political office. Bisan kinsa pa ang mahimong Governor, the office stays.

LMP: If you're going to assess BEPO from 2002 until this year, how successful is the office?
RLT: Nakatabang kita ug dako based on the services we've offered. For instance, kining Job Fairs, nakatabang ta ug deploy ug daghan nga mga applicants… a combination of local and overseas workers. We also have other related services like the Passport Mobile Service which is done regularly.

LMP: Does that mean every year?
RLT: It's done twice a year.

LMP: Does it always go with job recruitment?
RLT: We always do the Passport Service ahead of the Job Fairs so that, assuming nga during the Job Fairs naa nay passport ang applicant, sayon ra para sa side sa recruiting agency, kay the first thing nga ilang pangitaon is ang passport gyud.

LMP: Does it follow that your main job is giving employment to the Boholanos outside of the Capitol?
RLT: Yes.

LMP: But can you also recruit for Capitol workforce?
RLT: That is separately handled. Jobs for the Capitol workforce have a lot of considerations. But in my case, whoever they are, as long as they are qualified for the skills and are globally competitive, walay problema.

LMP: How do you do your Job Fairs?
RLT: In conducting Job Fairs, we inform first the Department of Labor and Employment, because sila ang mo-provide with the necessary technical advice. If approved, we go to the Governor for the budget proposal. Kon okay ang Governor, mag-set na mi sa DOLE ug exact date to do the Job Fair. Then we send invitation letters sa mga selected agencies certified by the POEA.

LMP: Who shoulders the expenses of the invited agencies?
RLT: For their fare, it's shouldered by their respective companies.

LMP: So what are the responsibilities from your end in conducting Job Fairs?
RLT: We give them free hotel accommodation, complementary food and inland transportation from the hotel to the venue. Regarding the transportation expenses from Tagbilaran back to their place, ila na na.

LMP: How many people from the agency are involved?
RLT: Usually we invite 10-12 recruitment agencies and in every recruitment agency, magpada na sila ug usa or duha ka mga tawo.

LMP: How long do they stay here?
RLT: We conduct Job Fairs for only 1 day. So what we do is we invite them here in the afternoon of the day before the Job Fair so that they can stay for the night and be at the venue early the following day. Some agencies are also in a hurry that they go home right after the Job Fair. But for those who opt to stay here, we can accommodate them until noon the following day.

LMP: Can you give us the approximate number of participants who come to BEPO for prospective employment?
RLT: It depends. In the previous year, we used to have 3 Job Fairs a year: one in January, another in June or July. The last would be in December. In every Job Fair, thousands ang moabot.

LMP: How much is the percentage that you take in?
RLT: Very minimal lang. For every 100 applicants, 20 to 30 percent lang ang madawat.

LMP: What are the reasons why ingon ana kagamay ang madawat?
RLT: First reason gyod is financial. Every applicant, especially if for abroad, has to go through an agency.

LMP: How much is the placement fee?
RLT: Equivalent to 1 month salary.

LMP: To produce that money, do you have to hold the papers to be processed?
RLT: No. Ang ubang agency, they go for installment basis. At the start of the processing, an applicant has to give 50 percent; the other 50 will be given before departure. But there are also agencies which offer the "fly now, pay later" service. Mora na siya ug soft loan; just to make sure that the workers can report at the site on time because the agencies are also under pressure by the foreign businesses. If the agency will commit that they can deploy 100 workers at that day, they will do their best to produce workers on that date.

LMP: What are the qualifications for foreign job opportunities?
RLT: They should be college graduates with ample experience. For factory workers in Taiwan, they're very strict with height. The standard height for female is 5 feet and 1 inch; for male a minimum of 5'-4". Kay matod pa nila, ang ila kunong computerized machines, habog kaayo. Aron dili na daw magkinto-kinto, kinahanglan taas ang workers.

LMP: How about the skilled workers like welders and plumbers?
RLT: Okay ra kon dili college graduate as long as they understand conversational English, kay ang ilang supervisors, mga Pilipino man pod. Usually, kanang straight English.

LMP: I heard that one of the things needed would be the certificate of proficiency from TESDA. Is that still on-going?
RLT: Some foreign employers are not strict on this. Because upon arrival, the workers still have to be oriented and trained to make them more competitive.

LMP: If there is a certification from TESDA, what kind of support would the workers need for employment?
RLT: Like plumbing, before madawat ang usa ka applicant, tan-awon pa kon skilled ba gyod siya. Kon wala'y certificate from TESDA, a certification from the previous employer will do. If they will be assigned in Manila, they have their own in-house training. They will upgrade the skills of an applicant kon aduna gyoy gamay nga nahibaw-an.

LMP: What are the skills that are in demand, aside from plumbing and welding?
RLT: We have technicians, mechanics, and electricians. These are considered the blue-collared jobs.

LMP: How about the white ones?
RLT: The same wit nurses, teachers, engineers. They have another set of requirements. Karon gani, kon mo-abroad ang usa ka nurse, one must pass the CGFNS, it's one of the requirements. Ang Middle East lang ang wala na mag-require ana. Ang meeded lang is only 2-year experience.

LMP: Why is it nga wala na sila mag-require?
RLT: Because of the urgency. Sa Western countries, very strict kaayo. But kining NCLEX, standard gyod ni siya in all other countries. Before, Filipino nurses used to take the exams in Hongkong or in Guam. Just to decongest, the exams are now in the Philippines. For medical workers, strict kaayo ang requirements, it should be at least 5-year experience in a hospital with minimum of 250-bed capacity. Mao ning ang mga nurses, if they want to go abroad, maghuwat gyod ni sila ug dugay. Unya ang init ra ba gyod nga maka-abroad, mao ang mga fresh graduates without knowing nga kinahanglan pa ni sila ug ample experience. The best thing that I could advice to these minimum qualifiers is to go to the Middle East. Kaysa mag-casual lang dinhi or volunteers without pay just to get a certification. In Saudi, they only need 2-year experience; mayo pa gyod ang training ug exposure sa hospitals. It's a good stepping stone for the Filipino graduates. Sa economics side, if they are employed with P40, 000-50, 000 a month, it is easy for them to buy books and other materials for the review sa ilang NCLEX; they can stay and work at the same time. They can take the exam in Cyprus or in Dubai because their embassies are conducting exams.

LMP: What are the countries in the world that are in need of nurses?
RLT: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, the European countries like England, Ireland, Scotland. Sa Spain, gamay lang ang ilang nurses, mas daghan ang caregivers.

LMP: So karon, nurses gyod ang in-demand?
RLT: Nurses gyod, because of the economic advancement and more job opportunities. Ang ilang mga younger generations nangahimo nang Managers or naa nay mga negosyo. Mostly, they are into IT or computer courses. Ang nursing course didto is not for the elite. That's why ang ilang caregivers and nurses, foreign ang gipangkuha. Ang quality sa food naka deteriorate pod sa health, that's why there are so many unhealthy people didto. Mao nang when they reach a certain age, manginahanglan na sila ug caregivers.

LMP: How about English teachers in Thailand and Korea?
RLT: Para nako, morag illegal na kay dili man mo-sanction ang POEA ug DOLE kay wala ma'y work permit from China or Thailand to deploy teachers. Daghang mga teachers ang nangita ug employment but if pangutan-on kon unsa nga agency, wala'y matubag. Wala ma'y agency nga nag-handle sa deployment of certain teachers. Naay mga persons nga aduna na'y contact, unya inig-abot didto, wala'y work permit kay tourist ra man ang nakabutang. Mao nang mag-TNT ang uban.

LMP: But can that be legalized?
RLT: That can be legalized but mag-depende pod sa Thailand government. Since nagkinahanglan man sila ug teachers unya daghan man po'y teachers dinhi, pwede maghimo ug bilateral agreement.

LMP: In today's setting, are we educating students for jobs that already exist or jobs nga medyo wala pa'y klaro?
RLT: Ang advancement sa information technology, mao gyoy focus karon. I think it would be a very good decision to take up courses related in engineering, information technology or computers. Ang nahitabo karon, daghan ang job mismatching. This is because naa'y experience ang gipangita, but fresh graduates pa lagi, so dili pa pwede. Sa akong nakita, ang number one potential nga maka-generate ta ug employment, kining information services or the call centers.

LMP: What is the potential salary for beginners?
RLT: Minimum of P11, 000, plus night differential. The company doesn't care kon unsay kurso as long as they're good in comprehension and can converse in good English. Minimum of second year college. But for me, angay unta kon 20 years old and above for emotional security ba. Kon ma-assign sa layong lugar, dili dali mingawon.

LMP: How about kining atong mga seamen? I noticed nga daghang graduate ug nautical, courses, but nag-waiter lang.
RLT: In Bohol alone, how many thousands of graduates in just 1 year; sa Pilipinas, gamay ra kayo ang barko nga gipadagan. We have an over-supply of manpower but gamay ra ang job offers; survival of the fittest gyod. A diploma is not a mere assurance nga makakuha ug trabaho; experience is still number one.

LMP: How do you asses the scenario as far as the employment of Boholanos is concerned?
RLT: I think nagkadaghan ang unemployed because gamay lang kaayo ang opportunities especially in Bohol. That's why we are sending them all over the Philippines. Nagpadala ta ug workers sa Subic, na-kontrobersyal man hinoon. Daghan ang nagreklamo kay buwad ra kono'y pamahaw. Kita man god, ang atong culture is magpasayon lang. Before sila milarga, we had a pre-departure employment seminar. We told them nga inig-abot didto, trainee pa mo; wala pa mo'y sweldo, but you have your allowance to pay for your boarding house and food. Daghan ang mga Boholanos nga wala maka-agwanta. Gi-interview ko sa DYRD and DYTR, I told them nga "unsa man diay inyong pagtuo didto, nag-pista mo?" We invited the Hanjin Company at our expense to lessen the burden of their parents. Unya moreklamo sila ditso.

LMP: What is your message to the unemployed?
RLT: For you to be more qualified, mas maayo if you'll take up short courses aron mahimong globally competitive. If nakahuman ug computer, eskuwela sa ug English aron madugangan ug ma-upgrade ang skills. We are aiming for the global market, so we have to excel.

Romy Tagaan is from Genoveva, Valencia, Bohol. A 1978 BSC-Accounting graduate of USC, and a recipient of a Diploma for a Special Course in Tourism at USJ-R (1981), aside from a Communication Skills Development Course at AT&T International (1992) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the BEPO Head worked with Banco Filipino in Cebu City, Batuan City, and Davao City starting as Savings Bookkeeper and Cash Assistant, until he was promoted Branch Cashier, then Branch Accountant, until he migrated to Riyadh, where he was the Executive Secretary of the Chairman of the Board of ASAS Universal Corporation, owned by His Royal Highness, Prince Ahmed Bin Salman, the nephew of King Fahad. He later became an Administrative Specialist at AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph Company), the number one Blue-Chip American Company in telecom services. He was pirated back to ASAS and was made Office Manager of the Chairman of Saudi Research and Marketing Corporation, which publishes Arab News, the number one English Magazine in Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Tagaan came back to Valencia, and became the town's Vice-Mayor; and later became a Director of BOHECO II. During the last Congressional term of now Governor Erico Aumentado, he was hired as Consultant and was one of the Original Transition Team. Now, as BEPO Head, he has put to good use his employment experiences here and abroad.