GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/19 April)—Sixty-five companies and employment agencies have signified intention to join the May 1 or Labor Day jobs fair here organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Region 12.
Patricio Blanza, DOLE Sarangani-General Santos chief, said Friday they expect a record number of job seekers to participate in this year’s biggest jobs fair in the region that will be held at the KCC Mall Events and Convention Center.
He said the upcoming jobs fair, which is part of a nationally-coordinated event, will highlight anew the Labor Day celebration in Region 12.
Region 12, or Southwestern Mindanao, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Blanza said they are presently conducting pre-registrations for job seekers who will join the jobs fair for them to avail the various services that will be offered during the event.
“The pre-registration includes the enrollment of a job seeker to our skills registry system or database.
This way, we can immediately match them with the available jobs opportunities that fit their qualifications,” he said.
He said that job seekers who will avail of the pre-registration, which is open until April 30, may immediately proceed to the interview process with prospective employers or agencies during the event.
Of the 65 companies and employment agencies that are joining the activity, Blanza said 40 will be offering local job placements while the remaining 25 will offer overseas work opportunities.
Among the local jobs at stake are for production workers, sales staff, accountants, civil engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, call center agents and other skilled workers.
The overseas job opportunities include those for licensed nurses, domestic workers and other skilled workers.
Aside from the May 1 event here, DOLE 12 will also conduct a pre-Labor Day jobs fair on April 26 at the Gaisano Grand Mall in nearby Koronadal City.
Last year, DOLE 12 facilitated the opening of around 13,700 local and overseas work opportunities to local job seekers in three Labor Day job and livelihood fairs in the region.
Aside from the jobs fair, DOLE-12 conducted job bridging programs, livelihood and “Diskwento” fairs, skills demonstrations and youth entrepreneurship advocacy learning sessions.
It also set up one-stop service desks that featured various services and programs being offered by DOLE and its attached agencies, among them the Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) and the National Labor Relations Commission (NCMB).
The activities included TESDA’s pre-assessment activities for various skills, OWWA’s documentation or certification program for overseas workers and free overseas calls, NLRC-NCMB-RTWPB counseling programs for local workers and DOLE’s profiling of displaced workers. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
