Some 2,467 jobseekers were hired on the spot during nationwide Trabaho Agad job fairs organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The job fairs drew 28,795 jobseekers across 86 sites, where 1,352 employers offered 157,097 local and overseas vacancies, according to DOLE.
In Metro Manila, 421 jobseekers were hired on the spot while 737 were classified as near-hires during job fairs held on Sept. 12, 14 and 15.
Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino said the initiative is intended to bring employment opportunities closer to Filipinos, particularly young people entering the workforce.
‘You shouldn’t have to wait long to get your first real shot at work,’ Tolentino said, as DOLE seeks to shorten the transition from school to employment.
Initial data showed that 277 senior high school graduates were among those hired, along with 39 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and 34 members of indigenous communities.
The hires also included three displaced overseas Filipino workers, 11 Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (Tupad) workers transitioning to stable employment, 12 persons with disabilities and 28 senior citizens.
Aside from job matching, 13,342 jobseekers availed themselves of government services from the National Bureau of Investigation, Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Pag-IBIG Fund.
Another 3,467 jobseekers accessed skills enhancement opportunities through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority during the job fairs.
DOLE said the employment initiative also seeks to help workers adjust to changing workplace requirements, including technological developments affecting some entry-level jobs.
Data encoding and payment processing, for instance, are evolving with the use of technology, while emerging opportunities include AI data annotation and AI-powered self-service kiosks.
DOLE said it will continue holding Trabaho Agad job fairs every month in more towns and provinces to expand access to employment opportunities and connect more job seekers with employers.