ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 14 (PIA) -- More than 2,000 jobseekers including senior high school graduates joined the recent Kalayaan Job and Business Fair on Sunday (June 12) where 76 applicants were lucky to get hired-on-the-spot and 300 were deemed near-hires.

The whole-day job fair registered around 811 qualified applicants that vie to grab a slot from the 1,915 available job vacancies.

The 300 near-hires jobseekers are considered hired but may need to submit additional requirements, documents, or must undergo further tests or interviews.

“We are happy about the turn-out of applicants this year which is attributable to the online job fair portal that we developed where those who pre-registered and applied online were admitted to the interview area right away – this greatly helped in reducing the queuing lines,” Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said during the job fair at the KCC Mall de Zamboanga.

Meanwhile, great number of senior high school (SHS) completers was also noticed.

“This is also the first time that we partnered with the Department of Education allowing their senior high school graduates to participate in the job fair. This goes to show that there are also employment opportunities for SHS completers,” Atty. Buenafe added.

Aside from the job fair, other government agencies such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMD, formerly POEA), Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB), Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) and Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) have offered their services to walk-in clients at the One-Stop-Shop Services booth.

The Department of Trade and Industry likewise offered business advisory and counseling to six clients.

The Technical Education and Skills Authority (TESDA) treated 90 jobseekers and workers alike to free services such as massages and haircuts as well as skills training on baking to 49 interested participants. 

The Zamboanga City Health Office inoculated Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots to 54 individuals at the Vaccination Drive in the venue.

Simultaneously, DOLE-9 conducted a traditional poster-making contest among senior high students to raise awareness about the effects of child labor.

“We are also celebrating the World Day Against Child Labor on June 12 thus we invited the members of the Regional Council Against Child Labor to renew the pledge of commitment against child labor,” Atty. Buenafe concluded. (RVC/EDT/PIA9/Zamboanga City/With reports from and Photo Courtesy of the Department of Labor and Employment)