ILOILO City – A total of 110 jobseekers were hired on the spot (HOTS) at the Kalayaan Job Fair held at SM City Bacolod on June 12.
Most of the HOTS will be employed in roles such as bagger, cashier, checker, delivery helper, front desk associate, housekeeping, Human Resource assistant, line operator, office staff, pharmacy assistant, receptionist, machine operator, warehouse staff, store clerk, sales associate, encoder, loan services, and kitchen staff, data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 showed.
In addition to those hired on the spot, 79 jobseekers were classified as “near hires”, requiring only a final interview and submission of documents to secure their employment.
The job fair featured participation from 57 local employers and five overseas recruitment agencies, offering a total of 8,735 jobs — 7,150 for local positions and 1,585 for overseas roles.
The event saw registration from 1,365 jobseekers.
DOLE-6 director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr. expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in the Kalayaan Job Fair, highlighting their crucial roles in DOLE’s employment facilitation and job generation efforts aimed at improving the economic conditions of workers and helping them break free from poverty and indebtedness.
Aside from the job fair, 313 jobseekers availed themselves of one-stop services provided by DOLE-6, the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Statistics Authority, Professional Regulation Commission, Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-ibig, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, among others.
The Kalayaan Day celebration also featured the simultaneous payout of P157.2 million under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, benefiting 29,996 informal workers across the region.
Furthermore, DOLE-6 organized the Kadiwa ng Pangulo para sa Manggagawa across all six provinces of the region. In this initiative, 196 enterprises offered fresh and nutritious agricultural produce, processed foods, and locally manufactured products at very low prices. This event not only provided a venue for local farmers and producers but also created employment opportunities for 327 sellers/TUPAD beneficiaries, who benefited from a P740,000 TUPAD package.
Data from DOLE-6 indicated that on the first day of Kadiwa ng Pangulo, June 12, the 196 enterprises earned a total of P28,814, with sales expected to increase as the event continued until Thursday, June 13./PN
