More than 4,000 applicants on Labor Day job fair

A HUGE turnout of job seekers was noted in the first day of the twoday job fair sponsored by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Northern Mindanao which started on Tuesday, May 1, until May 2.

Mildred Dablio, DoleNorthern Mindanao information officer, said as of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, some 4,668 job applicants were registered to the job fair, while 2,424 applicants were qualified to the job position they are applying.

A total of 132 job applicants were hired on the spot.

Some 14, 975 job opportunities are available for the Mega Job Fair at the Limketkai Atrium in Cagayan de Oro City. There are about 118 companies, 96 are private firms, 13 are agencies for overseas work, and 9 are government agencies that are opening their doors for job seekers.

Most of the local job vacancies offered came from construction and call center companies, while most of the overseas manpower services are needed in the United Arab Emirates and middle-east countries.

Labor militant group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), however, took a jab at the job fair, saying most of the offered jobs are still not assuring security of tenure for workers.

Records show that most of the offered job vacancies are from construction companies, and KMU spokesperson Wildon Barros said these are still considered “uncertain jobs”.

Barros said construction work only has a fixed amount of time and will not be giving the worker a lifetime opportunity to earn a living.

“If the construction work is finished, what is next for them? They are once again jobless,” he said.

“Same with the job offered by the military and police, not all of

those who passed the exam makes it and be an official member of police and army,” Barros added.

Barros lamented the continued contractualization of workers throughout the country, pointing out that 70 percent of Northern Mindanao’s workforce comprise of contractuals, while only 30 percent are regular workers.

Barros cited that a food company in Cagayan de Oro who employs 7,000 people only regularized 2,000 employs, while the rest are contractuals.

“We cannot blame the workers though because they need the job so they will take what they can take,” he added.