GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 03 May) — Only 72 job seekers were hired on the spot by local employers during the regional Labor Day jobs fair here facilitated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Workers haul tuna from a fishing boat at the Fish Port Complex in Barangay Tambler, General Santos City. MindaNews file photo by Erwin Mascarinas
Sisinio Cano, DOLE Region 12 director, said Thursday the newly-hired workers were among the 1,425 job applicants who registered and participated in the fair held at the SM mall trade halls here.
He said a total of 103 companies and recruitment agencies joined the annual Labor Day jobs fair, which opened around 6,000 job vacancies.
Some 83 companies offered vacancies for local placements and 20 for overseas work opportunities, he said.
Cano said majority of the job seekers who were immediately hired were skilled workers, among them bakers and electricians.
He said there were applicants who were hired as office staff and workers for local establishments like cashiers.
Tuna processor and exporter Malalag Bay Aquaculture and Processing Corp., which is operating at the city fishport complex in Barangay Tambler, absorbed 30 of the newly-hired workers.
Cano said the company offered higher salaries for their newly hires, with the electricians earning P350 a day.
Region 12’s newly-approved daily wage rate, which will take effect later this month, was set at P311.
The official said an emerging pastry chain based in the city, Mix ‘N Magic, hired a Senior High School graduate as baker.
Noel Talagtag, who graduated last month at the New Society High School in Barangay Apopong here, specialized in cookery and holds a National Certificate or NC II in Bread and Pastry, Cookery, Food and Beverage issued by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
He said the 20 year-old Talagtag is set to undergo training as in-house baker of the pastry chain, which has outlets in parts of Region 12.
Aside from the applicants who were hired-on-the-spot, Cano said they recorded a total of 172 “near-hires.”
“These are applicants who passed the initial evaluation of the employers but still needed to complete some processes, like trainings, and submit other required documents,” Cano said.
He said 132 of the “near-hires” are for local employment while the 40 others are for overseas placement.
Aside from the jobs fair, DOLE-12 and its attached and partner agencies provided various services to job seekers and other local stakeholders under the Trabaho, Negosyo at Kabuhayan program.
DOLE-12 opened a clinic and one-stop shop for clearances and other employment documentation services.
Some job seekers and other residents were catered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region 12 through their Negosyo Center desk and business orientations.
DTI-12 also held a sales caravan that was participated by local shopping malls.
TESDA served 18 clients for their skills demonstration as well as free massage and nail care services.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 12 provided employment assistance to 50 grantees of the conditional cash transfer program and the Expanded Students Grant-in–Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation.
