SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) – Two hundred fifty-one (251) job applicants from San Jose and neighboring towns were hired at the Kalayaan Job Fair 2023 held at the San Jose Municipal Covered Plaza on the celebration of the 125th Philippine Independence Day yesterday.

According to Manager Designate Rolando Ladao III of Public Employment Service Office (PESO) San Jose, the Kalayaan Job Fair is the largest job fair conducted in the municipality this year, with over 2,000 available jobs from 18 participating local and overseas employers.

“As a jobseeker [na naghahanap ng first job], napakalaking tulong [nitong job fair] dahil hindi ka na magtatravel ng…sobrang malayo sa [paghahanap ng trabaho] dahil nandito na [ang mga employer] (As a jobseeker looking for a first job, this event is a big help because it spares us from traveling from place to place to look for a job as the employers are already gathered here), Francis Richard Navasca, a fresh graduate from Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC) said.

National government agencies, such as the Department of Migrant Workers, Social Security System, and Pag-ibig fund, were tapped by PESO to assist job seekers in securing pre-employment requirements.

“Lagi po talaga nating partner [ang SSS, PhilHealth, at Pag-ibig] every job fair na kina-conduct sa LGU dahil lahat ng maha-hire-on-the-spot, kapag kailangan na nila ng membership dito, kasi required po ‘yan ni employer, [mas madali na lang], (SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-ibig are our regular partners every job fair conducted by the LGU so that all applicants that will be hired-on-the-spot can secure their membership as it is required by employers), Ladao III explained.

Out of 251 hired applicants, 148 were hired-on-the-spot, which means they have completed the necessary documents required by the employer and are fit for the job. The remaining were classified as near hires who fit the job classification but were not able to comply with all the pre-employment documents.

Near hires are mostly fresh graduates as their scholastic records are still on process. The Oriental Mindoro State College (OMSC) assisted their new graduates during the job fair, verifying their graduates’ credentials to employers. Ladao III assured that the near hires would be guaranteed employment.

Prior to the conduct of Kalayaan Job Fair 2023, the PESO San Jose, in partnership with OMSC conducted a Career Coaching for Men & Women Jobseekers: A Preliminary Activity of Job Fair.

Ladao explained that the training aims to capacitate fresh graduates with skills necessary for job hunting and application, such as resume writing, personality development and building public relations, and preparation for job interviews.

The PESO San Jose, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment Mimaropa and Provincial Office, and other NGAs regularly conducts job fairs to extend vast job opportunities to jobseekers in the municipality. (DSG/PIA Mimaropa-OccMin)