MEGA JOB FAIR. Thousands of applicants flocked to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) office in Mandaluyong City on Monday (June 12, 2023) for the mega job fair. Around 40 recruitment agencies participated in the event where 11,750 jobs in 17 countries abroad are up for grabs. (PNA photo by Marita Moaje)
MANILA – A total of 11,750 overseas jobs are being offered by 40 licensed recruitment agencies that participated in the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) mega job fair held at its main office in Mandaluyong City on Monday, Independence Day.
DMW Assistant Secretary Levinson Alcantara said recruitment agencies chose successful applicants based on their skills and work experience.
“Ang hinahanap ng mga private recruitment agencies at manning agencies ay yung mga matched ang skills at experience dun sa requirements ng mga employers nila na nasa overseas (What recruitment and manning agencies are looking for is those whose skills and experience matched with the requirements of their employers who are overseas),” Alcantara said.
“So kung ikaw yung nakita nilang closest na match, they will set an appointment for you para sa iyong interview o kaya ay bibigyan ka nila ng slot or date para makumpleto mo yung mga requirements. Kapag ganoon, malamang ikaw ay matched dun sa hinahanap nilang vacancy (So if they see you as the closest match, they will set an appointment for your interview, or they will give you a slot or date so that you can complete the requirements. If that is the case, you are probably matched with the vacancy they are looking for),” he added.
Some 32 private recruitment agencies and eight manning agencies participated in the activity.
Most of these, Alcantara said, are those that are called ethical recruiters, and apply the employer pay principle, thus, most of them do not ask for placement fees.
These agencies seek nurses, welders, construction workers, waiter/waitresses, baristas, warehouse supervisors, food servers, chefs, accountants and seafarers.
There are 17 countries of destination for interested Filipino workers which include Guam, Maldives, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Bahrain, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Czechia Republic, Macau and the United States of America.
Aspiring applicants
Meanwhile, among the thousands of applicants that flocked to the job fair include former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and even those who aspire to work abroad for the first time.
Ralyn Palonpon, 38, native of Bacolod, said she has experienced working as a factory worker in Taiwan for 12 years.
“Yung experience ko kasi [as] factory worker, 12 years ako sa Taiwan. Gusto ko naman sana makapagtrabaho ako sa (I have experience working in Taiwan as factory worker for 12 years. This time, I want to work in) Europe,” Palonpon said.
Despite having tried working in the country as well, she said she really wants to work outside the country especially since she still has two children who are still studying.
“Naka set yung isip ko na mag-abroad talaga dahil may dalawang anak ako na nag-aaral, 15 and 16 years old (My mind is set on working abroad because of my two children, 15 and 16 years old),” she added.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Harmony Lyza Natinga narrated that she traveled all the way from Iligan City to submit her application to the DMW job fair.
So far, Natinga said she has already submitted her resume to 10 agencies for a higher chance of getting hired.
“First time ko lang nag-try mag apply ng trabaho sa abroad (This is my first time trying to apply for a job abroad),” Natinga said, adding that “Para talaga sa pamilya ko, gusto ko mapagawan ng bahay ang magulang ko, and para din sa sarili ko para ma improve ko ang sarili ko (This is for my family, my parents, I want to build a nice house for them, and of course, so I can improve myself)”.
Despite his age, Jun Rangel who is already 59 years, also submitted his resume at the job fair.
Rangel said he has already worked for 17 years in Saudi Arabia as a machinist but returned to the country in January this year because of his age. However, he believes that he still has the strength to work.
“Tina-try ko baka sakali, kaya pa naman. Sa Poland naman baka makalusot, siguro dalawang taon o apat kaya pa (I tried, just in case. I am looking at Poland, I hope they get me, may I can still work for two or four years more),” Rangel said.
Marikina holds Independence Day job fair
The city government of Marikina together with SM Supermalls and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also held a job fair for the celebration.
“Today as we celebrate the Philippines’ 125th Independence Day, we are simultaneously holding this job fair for everybody so we could be liberated from poverty through job,” Marikina Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro said during the opening at the SM City Marikina.
Teodoro encouraged job seekers to take advantage of the opportunity and explore potential career paths.
Only minutes after the formal opening of the job fair, a male applicant was hired on the spot by a business process outsourcing (BPO) company.
The mayor, meanwhile, said he is looking into a review of the curriculum of the city-run university to fit industries’ requirements.
"Napansin ko rin, tinitingnan ko ang biodata, halos sa mga nag-a-apply ay mga graduate ng community college natin sa Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina. Iniisip ko nga ngayon na i-review ‘yung curriculum para tama ‘yung course offering natin sa industry requirement. Iba talaga kapag nag-uusap, nagsasama-sama (I also noticed, looking at the biodata, almost of those applying are graduates of our community college at the University of Marikina. I am thinking now to review the curriculum so that our course offering is correct in line with the industry requirement. It's really different when we are united)," he said. (with Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
