GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 2 May) – A total of 1,588 job applicants were hired on the spot during the two job fairs here on Wednesday that were organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Patricio Blanza, DOLE Sarangani-General Santos director, said Thursday such figure comprise about half of the estimated 3,000 job seekers who joined the twin job fairs, which highlighted the 110th Labor Day celebration in the area.
He said 1,467 applicants were immediately hired for various local job placements and 121 for overseas work.
“This is so far among the highest on-the-spot hires that we’ve recorded in the area,” Blanza told MindaNews.
The official said they expect the number of the hired applicants to increase in the coming weeks as the processing of the applications were still ongoing.
He said some participating companies have arranged a set of requirements and evaluation stages that usually takes several days to complete.
“This is usually the case for overseas job placements wherein recruiters require applicants to complete their requirements first – like the medical exam and certain clearances – before making the actual hiring,” he said.
Blanza said around 60 companies and job placement or recruitment agencies participated in the two job fairs, which were held simultaneously at the KCC Mall of GenSan’s Events and Convention Center and SM City General Santos.
He said the participating companies and recruiters opened a total of 7,800 job opportunities, around 3,800 of which were for local jobs and 4,000 for overseas placements.
Most of the job offers that were filled up were for call center agents, telemarketers, engineers, hotel and restaurant staff as well as other professional and skilled workers, he said.
For overseas placements, he said most of the hiring was for nurses, domestic helpers, agronomists and skilled workers.
Other job fairs were held at the South Seas Mall in Cotabato City, Kidapawan City Gymnasium and Tacurong City Gymnasium.
