OFW prefers job in ‘Build, Build, Build’

A former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) joined hundreds of other jobseekers at the "Jobs Jobs Jobs Caravan" held at the SMX Convention Center SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Sunday for the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program of the government.

47-year old Joel Baculado used to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but returned home in 2016 when his contract with a construction firm ended.

“I worked as a wheel loader in Saudi but when my contract ended, I returned here,” he said.

Baculado, who is applying as a heavy equipment operator, said he is hoping that his vast experience in the construction industry overseas would help land him a job here.

“You have this feeling that when you are older you get discriminated. Most of the employers still prefer the young that’s why it’s difficult to get a job. My only advantage is that I have the experience,” he pointed out.

Although he admitted that he is still applying abroad because of the higher salary, Baculado said that he would rather work here in the country so he could be with his family.

“When you work here you are with your family unlike abroad wherein you have to wait for years to be with them,” he said.

Earlier, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III called on jobseekers, particularly workers who have returned from overseas employment, and graduating students to take advantage of the job opportunities that will be offered in the Job Caravan.

Among the nearly 17,000 jobs that were offered in the caravan are in the fields of building; construction; architecture; and engineering.

“We all intend to fulfill our mandate to help generate employment and provide decent jobs for the Filipino workers. This is just the first of many endeavors,” he said.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said the caravan is the “largest event of its kind this year with almost 17,000 job openings from contractors of the Build Build Build program of the administration.”

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said over 40 employers were present at the job fair.

“The job generation component of these projects does not stop at construction. After a project has been completed, we will need people to operate and maintain these facilities,” he said.

“This golden age of infrastructure will not only build better road networks, airports, and bridges, but it will also build better lives for Filipinos now and ka in the future,” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, the number of registered applicants at the jobs caravan was at 628, including six who were hired on the spot.

Meanwhile, in a press briefing, Bello asked job applicants who were discriminated because of their age to report the company to the department, after a former OFW complained of not being hired by shipping agencies because he is already 60 years old.

“Inform us if there are companies that discriminate because of age because we have the power to discipline them,” said Bello.

“There should be no discrimination... we already have a law on that,” he added.

According to former seaman Dominador Taule, he already applied to about 30 shipping / manning agencies, and most of them told him that they prefer applicants aged 55 years old and below.

“That’s probably the reason why many of our seaman are without work,” he said.

Taule of Bulacan was a seafarer for 30 years and returned to the country last January.