By Ferdinand Patinio/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday said job fairs are effective in providing local and overseas employment opportunities to Filipino jobseekers.
Bello said in the last Labor Day job and business fairs, where the main event was held in Pampanga, some 9,000 applicants were hired.
“Malaking bagay ‘yun tsaka ito ay (This is a big deal and this is) regular employment,” he said in an interview at the 2019 Kalayaan Job Fair at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.
Other employment fairs were also held simultaneously in 21 areas nationwide in celebration of the 121st anniversary of Philippine Independence with a theme “Tapang Ng Manggagawa, Malasakit sa Mamamayan.”
Meanwhile, more than 19,000 job applicants have registered in the 2019 Independence Day Job Fair sites located in 16 regions throughout the country.
DOLE partial figures showed that as of 5 p.m., a total of 19,109 applicants have registered, while 12,909 of them have qualified for the positions they have applied for.
The initial number of hired-on-the-spot (HOTS) is 2,193. Of the number, a total of 2,082 were given local jobs while 111 were employed overseas.
The total number of near hires is at 6,450 (5,433, local and 1,017, overseas) or those who have to undergo further interviews or have to submit additional requirements.
According to the Bureau of Local Employment, there are a total of 68,893 local and overseas jobs available in the event, from the 560 participating employers (461 local, 99 overseas).
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