CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The Department of Tourism (DOT)-10, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-10, amassed a total of 746 job seekers during the two-day run of the ‘Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso!’ Philippine Tourism Job Fair Northern Mindanao leg at the Limketkai Mall Atrium in Cagayan de Oro, March 30–31.

DOT-10 and DOLE-10 got 528 registrations on the first day and 218 on the second, for a total of 746 applications. Of those, 55 were hired on the spot (HOTS), and 112 were qualified but still needed to meet the company's final requirements, making a total of 55 HOTS and 112 near-hires.
Among the 55 HOTS, some traveled from Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, and Gingoog City for a chance at employment. Several hopefuls-turned-instantly hired employees shared inspiring stories at the job fair, one of whom was Juliet Castillo, a widow from Gingoog City and former domestic helper in Saudi Arabia.

After being employed on the spot by the Kaamulan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, she burst into tears. The first day of the job fair did not guarantee her a position, but that did not deter her from returning the next day, where she ultimately got a job and was named the first HOTS of the day.

The regional offices initially gathered 77 local establishments offering 2,528 job vacancies in various positions, with the following being the top five most in-demand openings: financial advisors (500), customer service representatives (240), production crew (100), sales staff (62), and utility (48).

DOLE-10 Assistant Regional Director Estrella Pahalla stated that the job fair was timely for displaced, jobless, and underemployed candidates, particularly those in the region’s tourism industry.

DOT-10 Regional Director Marie Elaine Unchuan also expressed her gratitude to everyone involved in making the Northern Mindanao leg of the job fair a huge success, especially in taking a step to revitalize the tourism industry. 

"With the great support of our partner DOLE, our LGUs, our employers, our partner agencies, and the huge positive response of this job fair, we know that we are on the right track to full recovery and towards a more vibrant and more robust tourism industry," she said. (DOT-10/PIA-10)