INITIALLY he had criticized. Then he attempted to educate. Now, he perceives himself also to be a guidance counselor for jobseekers besides being a director. In his latest letter, Mr. Alfred Pangelinan stated that I have been painting a perception of him. Amigo, let’s define and put things into proper perspective. “Perception” is the conclusive image received about a subject matter, be it a person, place or thing. “Facts,” on the other hand, are a proven factor or evidence beyond a shadow of doubt about a subject matter, be it a person, place or thing. Therefore, here are the facts and I would like you to discredit or challenge them if you believe them to be false.
Fact #1. That the unemployment rate of 10.5 percent among our residents could have been greatly reduced if the system at the Division of Employment Services was in fact consistent in regulating, controlling, and providing stricter enforcement as mandated under Chapter 4, Article 1, 4411, Para (b) of the Non-Resident Workers Act.
Fact #2. That majority of the private sector businesses are not in compliance with the 20 percent resident composition as mandated by law, and that there is discrimination against our resident jobseekers.
Fact #3. That Chapter 4, Article-1,4411, Para (b) does state a composition of 20 percent resident workforce in every employer’s management, supervisory, and non-supervisory position and not 20 percent in every business entity as you stated in your letter to the editor dated April 5.
Fact #4. That you do have an unfavorable background which should have prevented and disqualified your appointment as director of DES if you had been evaluated based on what you know rather than who you know.
In previous letters to the editor, the director often focused on recommendations for jobseekers as well as describe failures, which seems to suggest his commitment to public service. Now let’s reflect on his letter dated April 5, in which he openly admits that more than 70 percent of our local jobseekers do not have the required education nor training relevant to vacant positions within the private sector.
What kind of director would admit wanting to help our local jobseekers while at the same time criticizing more than 70 percent of local jobseekers as not having the education nor the training relevant to the vacant position? Instead of proposing training programs to assist our people, this director chooses to degrade our abilities and knowledge. Is he stating that our retired government and military personnel, veterans and college graduates, etc., currently searching for employment are un-educated and unskilled? He needs to be replaced as director of DES.
JACK TERLAJE QUITUGUA
Garapan, Saipan
