JobStart as a national policy

In 2016, the law institutionalizing the nationwide implementation of JobStart took effect, guaranteeing the sustainability of the program with regular government funding after a successful pilot.

More than 200 employers have so far partnered with the government under the JobStart program, benefiting more than 20,000 out-of-school youths, about three-fifths of whom women and more than two-thirds coming from low-income households.

On 3 December 2019, ADB approved a $400 million loan for the second subprogram of the policy-based Facilitating Youth School-to-Work Transition Program. The new loan will support DOLE’s Jobstart program, as well as other employment schemes and labor policy reforms aimed to ensure that young Filipinos have access to job opportunities.

With ADB’s support, nearly 40% of the 1,253 PESO centers nationwide are fully institutionalized, while more than two-thirds have received skills development from DOLE, ensuring that PESO officers are equipped with the right skills to mentor Filipino youth on how to successfully find jobs.