ILOILO City – At least 222 jobseekers walked away with jobs while more than 2,000 others moved closer to employment as Iloilo City turned its recent 89th Charter Day celebration into a major employment drive involving 120 companies and recruitment agencies.
The 222 applicants were hired on the spot during the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Job Fair at Robinsons Place Iloilo-Main on August 25 under the city government’s flagship “Trabaho Agad Program.”
Beyond the immediate hires, 1,274 applicants qualified after preliminary screening and proceeded to the processing of their pre-employment requirements, while another 2,135 were classified as “near-hires” and referred for secondary interviews and final evaluation by prospective employers.
The figures indicate that the employment impact of the job fair could extend well beyond the 222 applicants who received immediate job offers.
The daylong event mobilized 120 local companies, business process outsourcing firms and accredited overseas recruitment agencies, giving thousands of jobseekers access to employment opportunities in one venue.
More than 2,051 applicants registered on-site, while thousands more had pre-registered for the event. Around 60 percent of the applicants came from municipalities outside Iloilo City, underscoring the city’s role as an employment center serving a much wider labor market in Western Visayas.
The job fair also sought to remove some of the usual obstacles faced by jobseekers in completing employment requirements by bringing several government agencies directly to the venue.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provided labor assistance and regulatory services, while the National Bureau of Investigation facilitated the processing of clearances.
The Philippine Statistics Authority assisted applicants needing civil registry documents and birth certificates, while the Social Security System, Pag-IBIG Fund and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. provided services involving enrollment and contribution records.
The employment initiative was undertaken as part of the Charter Day activities of the administration of Mayor Raisa Treñas.
PESO Iloilo City Manager Gabriel Felix Umadhay and DOLE Region 6 Senior Officer Danny Espinosa opened the event and encouraged jobseekers to consider opportunities in emerging industries instead of limiting their applications to only one field.
“The PESO Iloilo City extends its heartfelt appreciation to all our partner employers and government agencies who joined and supported the 89th Charter Day PESO Job Fair: ‘Trabaho Agad Program,’” PESO Iloilo City said.
“Your participation, commitment, and support made this employment initiative possible and helped connect Ilonggo jobseekers with meaningful career opportunities. To our partner employers, thank you for opening your doors and providing employment opportunities,” it added.
The city government, meanwhile, congratulated those who secured jobs during the fair.
“Congratulations to the 222 well-deserving Ilonggos who applied and were hired on the spot during the 89th Charter Day PESO Job Fair 2026. True freedom begins when our workforce is empowered with the means to uplift their families and build a brighter future,” the Iloilo City Government wrote on Facebook./PN
