ILOILO – Nearly 9,000 local and overseas employment opportunities will be up for grabs as 30 recruitment agencies and companies converge at Casa Real de Iloilo today, October 21, for a massive job fair organized by the Iloilo Provincial Government.
A total of 8,740 job openings, including 4,787 overseas job orders and 3,953 local vacancies, will be offered during the PESO Job and Migrant Fair, providing thousands of jobseekers an opportunity to secure employment in the Philippines and abroad.
Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) manager Dr. Cynthia P. Dario said the employment initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the Provincial Public Employment Service Manager (OPPESM), is part of the provincial government’s continuing efforts to expand employment opportunities and assist Ilonggos seeking better livelihoods.
Overseas employment opportunities account for more than half of the available positions, with recruitment agencies seeking workers for various occupations in the Middle East and other countries.
Among the overseas positions are waiters and waitresses for Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; household service workers for Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Jordan and Qatar; electricians and painters for the United Arab Emirates; and household attendants for Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Other overseas vacancies include staff nurses, female cleaners, and fast-food and coffee makers for Saudi Arabia.
For local employment, participating companies are recruiting call center agents, delivery drivers, sales clerks, helpers, cashiers, baggers, production helpers, service crew members, household workers and customer assistants, among other positions.
Dario encouraged interested applicants to take advantage of the employment opportunities, stressing that the job fair is open even to those who have not registered in advance.
Applicants are advised to arrive early at Casa Real de Iloilo, formerly the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, and bring multiple copies of their résumés and other employment documents to increase their chances of applying for several positions.
Aside from recruitment activities, the fair will feature a one-stop assistance center where government agencies will provide employment-related services and address concerns involving labor, overseas employment, social protection and documentation.
Participating agencies include the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Pag-IBIG Fund.
Meanwhile, the provincial government will also distribute P360,000 in financial assistance to 36 distressed Ilonggo overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who returned from the Middle East because of accidents, health problems or maltreatment.
Each beneficiary will receive P10,000 in cash assistance to help address immediate financial needs following their return to the Philippines.
The returning OFWs will also undergo financial literacy sessions to help them manage their assistance and make informed decisions on how to use the funds./PN
