Thousands flock Labor Day job fair in Cagayan de Oro
THOUSANDS of job seekers from Northern Mindanao joined this year’s Labor Day Mega Job Fair held at the Atrium of Limketkai Center, here.
Rachel Ann Fuentes was one of the applicants hoping to land a job on labor day. To increase her chances of getting hired, Fuentes submitted her applications and requirements to three different companies.
Lawyer Joffrey Suyao, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional director, said around 5,000 local and 11,000 overseas jobs from 132 participating companies were opened to job seekers on labor day.
Government agencies, particularly the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Army (PA), and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), also opened around 12,000 vacancies.
Security guards, factory workers, call center officers, and customer service specialists were among the top local vacancies available.
Kisscel Joy Dumandan was happy when she was hired-on-the-spot as call center agent of Abyss Virtual Assistant Services. “Pasalamat nalang pud ko nga na hired dayon ko kay kailangan nako ang trabaho (I’m very thankful that I’m hired immediately because I need a job),” she said.
Alquezon Ano-os, a resident of Maigo, Lanao del Norte, was also hired-on-the-spot as a salesman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He said he applied for work abroad due to his previous experience as an overseas worker.
As of twelve noon on Labor Day, DOLE Region X reported that 2,250 applicants have registered and 20 of them were hired-on-the-spot.
A one-stop shop was also set-up at the Atrium of Limketkai Center to help applicants in their pre-employment requirements.
Aside from the mega job fair, the 117th labor celebration in Cagayan de Oro was also highlighted by the livelihood and business fair organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as well as free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) enrollment and skills demonstration spearheaded by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
DTI Region 10 Director Linda Boniao said the livelihood and business fair will not only promote local products and businesses but also multiply the workforce by bringing employment opportunities in the informal sector through entrepreneurship.
Tesda Region 10 Director Tarhata Mapandi, on the other hand, said Tesda offered 1,800 scholarship slots worth Php14 million through the 52 participating TVET providers in the region.