Finding the job you want
MB Job Fair continues to help Pinoys get employed
According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), not only is it more fun in the Philippines, but there are also more jobs available now. Unemployment in the country has gone down from 6.6 percent in 2017 (the highest in recent years) to 5.2 percent in the beginning of 2019. The country’s employment rate, conversely, is up at 94.9 percent—a total of around 41.2 million people—by the end of 2018, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“Workers in the services sector composed the largest proportion of the employed persons. These workers made up 56.6 percent of the total employed in 2018. Among them, those engaged in the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles accounted for the largest proportion (19.4 percent) of workers,” the PSA report highlighted. “Workers in the agriculture sector were the second largest group making up 24.3 percent of the total employed in 2018, while workers in the industry sector made up the smallest group registering 19.1 percent of the total employed.”
These numbers indicate that there are more jobs available for Filipinos today. The government has taken a more active role in bridging the employment needs of various companies and the available
workforce in the country.
But employment generation and recruitment are almost like a tug-of-war: More jobs open up, more job hunters come. This push-and-pull dynamic is a good thing, perhaps even a sign of a healthy job economy. The challenge is to match companies seeking to hire new employees with job hunters looking for new employment.
Thankfully, institutions like The Manila Bulletin (MB) are stepping up to the challenge by opening job fairs. Since 2010, MB has been hosting at least five job fairs a year. Last March 19 to 20, the first MB Job Fair for 2019 was held at the Farmers Market in Cubao.
Over the past years, the MB Job Fair has brought together 35 to 40 companies and an average of 4,000 jobseekers. The idea is to streamline the job hunting process to allow companies to hire onthe-spot. Based on data gathered from previous MB Job Fairs, almost 30 percent of jobseekers are hired on-the-spot, while 60 percent are deemed qualified for an available job.
“We always believe that every Filipino needs and deserves a better opportunity,” said Arman Cabrera, MB’s VP for advertising. “This is the reason why we have been hosting these job fairs. We’re in a unique position to bridge the needs of both the companies that partner with us and the thousands of Pinoy job seekers we have every year. We plan to increase the number of our local job exhibitors to maximize local job recruitment and continue to partner with local and national government agencies to benefit our job seekers in terms of skills training and allied programs.”
Aside from this, the MB Job Fair has also provided important data on job trends. In terms of availability, there remains to be a demand for call center agents and workers in the food and beverage and hospitality sectors. BPOs have a high turnaround employment rate, while restaurants are always looking for additional manpower due to expansions.
Labor is an invaluable resource, one that the Philippines has an abundance of. But Filipinos have to be given the right opportunities and the extra push to find the right job that matches their skills. With programs like the MB Job Fair, The Manila Bulletin continues to do its part in making sure that Filipino workers find jobs that best suit their abilities.
Looking for jobs? You may catch the MB Job Fair at these dates: May 21-22 at the Skydome of SM North EDSA, July 1718 (venue to be announced), Sept. 17-18 at Farmers Plaza in Cubao, and Nov. 19-20 at the Skydome of SM North EDSA.
For more information, visit www. mb.com.ph.