JOB HUNTING. Applicants read the list of openings during a job fair at SM City Marilao, Bulacan in May 2023. On June 12, a total of 23,000 vacancies will be available to job seekers at separate job fairs in Central Luzon and Legazpi City, Albay as part of the celebration of the 125th Philippine Independence Day. (Photo courtesy of DOLE Region 3)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Almost 23,000 vacant positions are so far available in various job fairs in Luzon to mark the 125th Philippine Independence Day on June 12.
In Central Luzon, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-3) has lined up six job fairs with nearly 12,000 vacancies.
The events will be held simultaneously in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
“As of June 6, we have recorded over 11,700 local vacancies available to our six job fair sites on June 12,” Aurita Laxamana, newly-assigned head of DOLE-3’s Employment and Welfare Division, said in a statement on Thursday.
The main job fair site for the region will be at Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium, Capitol Compound, City of Malolos, Bulacan where some 2,348 jobs are up for grabs.
In Bataan, the job fair site will be at SM City in Barangay Ibayo, Balanga City offering 2,479 openings.
Some 2,738 employment opportunities, on the other hand, are available on the job site at SM City Telabastagan, this city.
In Nueva Ecija, the site will be at Robinsons Townville, Maharlika Highway, Barangay H. Concepcion in Cabanatuan City where DOLE-3 offers some 1,871 job opportunities.
Likewise, some 1,551 and 727 openings are available at SM Olongapo Central and SM City Tarlac, respectively.
Laxamana said among the 128 employers joining the job fairs are from "key employment generators" in the region which are manufacturing, information technology – business process management, construction and retail service.
The top 10 local job vacancies to be opened, she said are production workers, customer service representatives, quality assurance inspectors, sales associates, merchandise/store clerks, sewers, cashiers, warehouse personnel, kitchen staff and service crew.
She advised interested applicants to pre-register at philjobnet.gov.ph.
During the job fairs, livelihood projects will also be awarded to "poor, vulnerable, and marginalized" workers, including parents of profiled child laborers in Bataan and Bulacan.
“As we are also celebrating World Day Against Child Labor on the same day, we continue to actively raise awareness about the plight of child laborers,” Laxamana added.
Meanwhile, in Legazpi City, Albay province, Mayor Geraldine B. Rosal is encouraging her constituents, particularly the new graduates, to join and make use of the opportunity to land a job during the 2023 Kalayaan Job Fair at the SM City Mall.
Rosal, in an interview on Wednesday, said the Job Fair will be spearheaded by the Legazpi City Public Employment and Services Office (PESO) and will offer more than 11,000 vacancies to give the residents here a chance to work in local companies or abroad.
PESO Manager Diosdado Rañeses, in a separate interview, said at least 52 companies and 12 government agencies will participate in the event.
He said that out of the 11,000 available posts, 3,000 are for local employment and 8,000 are overseas.
Rañeses said applicants should bring their personal documents and school credentials.
The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (PNA)
