By Ferdinand Patinio/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Over 200,000 local and overseas employment opportunities are available in simultaneous job and business fairs in 29 sites across the country in observance of Labor Day on May 1.
Citing data from the Bureau of Local Employment, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said more than 1,500 employers will be participating in the annual affair with more than 200,000 local and overseas jobs in the massive Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) and Build, Build, Build (BBB) job and business caravan.
He added that the main venue for the celebration of Labor Day with the theme “Pagpupugay sa Manggagawang Pilipino” will be in Pampanga.
“The main site for the combined TNK-BBB job and business fair is at the Kingsborough International Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga where an initial 150 employers (130 local and 20 overseas placement agencies) will offer vacancies,” Bello said said in a press briefing on Monday in Manila.
He added that local jobs are mostly in the field of construction under the government’s Build, Build, Build program, while skilled professionals, including English teachers for Thailand, are open for overseas placement.
With this, Bello noted that aside from the job and business fair, the May 1 celebration will be highlighted by the groundbreaking of the first-ever overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) hospital located in San Fernando, Pampanga.
“(This is) to showcase the Duterte administration’s grateful recognition of our overseas Filipino workers and the Filipino workingmen in general,” the DOLE chief said.
The hospital for Filipinos working abroad will be financed by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) donors, to be administered by the Department of Health. The property where it will stand is donated by the provincial government of Pampanga.
During the groundbreaking, the OWWA will award livelihood packages worth PHP20,000 each to 100 OFWs under OWWA’s Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay program.
Other job and business fair sites identified were Ayala Mall South Park, Muntinlupa City; Vista Mall, Tuktukan, Taguig City; and City Social Hall and Sports Complex, Paranaque City in the National Capital Region.
In Luzon, the following are the TNK sites: Baguio City High School–Main Campus in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Magic Mall, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan; Robinsons Ilocos Norte Activity Center, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte; and Pangasinan PESO Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan in Region 1; Cagayan Coliseum, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan in Region 2; Provincial Government of Bulacan (April 30); Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija; and Bocaue, Bulacan (May 2) in Region 3.
Also in Luzon, there will be job and business fair sites in Calabarzon at Pacific Mall, Lucena City, Quezon; and at Robinson’s Mall, Tejero, City of General Trias, Cavite (May 2); in MIMAROPA at Bulwagang Panlalawigan, Provincial Capitol Complex, Camilmil, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; and at Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; and in Bicol Region at Pacific Mall, Legazpi City, Albay.
Jobseekers in the Visayas region may visit the TNK sites in Robinson’s Place-Jaro, Iloilo City (Region 6); Trade Hall, SM City Cebu; Mandaue City Hall, Centro, Mandaue City; Social Hall, Cebu Provincial Capitol; and Main Atrium, Robinson’s Place, Calindagan, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental (Region 7); and Tacloban Convention Center, Tacloban City; and Ormoc City Superdome, Ormoc City (Region 8).
In Mindanao, the identified job fair sites are in KCC Mall de Zamboanga (Region 9); The Atrium, Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City (Region 10); Gaisano Mall of Davao City (Region 11); KCC Convention and Events Center, General Santos City (Region 12); and Balanghai Hotel, Doongan Road, Butuan City (Caraga).
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