DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/01 May) – Six organizations in Davao Region received livelihood assistance worth P4.805 million from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-11 during the opening day of the 2019 Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan, Job and Business Fair in Davao City.
The beneficiaries are Libasan Primary Multo-Purpose Cooperative in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province; Samahang Manggagawa ng Lapanday Guihing-ALU in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur; Colman Multi-purpose Cooperative and San Lorenzo Ruiz Socio-Economic Development Foundation in Davao City; Krystelle Salon Academie Inc. in Mati City and Governor Generoso town in Davao Oriental; and Balet Fisherfolk Association in Samal Island in Davao del Norte.
In an interview, lawyer Jason P. Balais, DOLE-11 assistant regional director, said the livelihood assistance would be used to finance projects, including rice mill, grocery store, laundry shop, garments making, hairdressing/beauty care/massage therapy and fishing, which had been approved by the agency in the first quarter.
He said the agency was expecting at least 500 individuals to benefit from the livelihood assistance called “DOLE Integrated Livelihood Emergency Employment Program.”
“Hopefully, the businesses will generate employment and eventually become employers themselves as they grow,” he said.
Last year, DOLE-11 released P34.382 million, benefitting a total of 3,242 beneficiaries.
Also, a total of 7,983 job vacancies were available during the two-day 2019 Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan, Job and Business Fair, which opened on Wednesday at the Gaisano Mall of Davao.
At least 4,000 job seekers were expected to join the job fair, which gathered a total of 50 local and 20 overseas employers.
As of 12 noon on Wednesday, DOLE-11 labor communications officer Eduardo P. Monreal said there were a total of 699 applicants registered (435 local and 264 overseas), 433 applicants interviewed, and 20 hired on the stop (10 each for local and overseas).
Of the total job vacancies, 4,682 jobs are for overseas employment and 3,301 for local employment.
The top 10 local jobs are 1,452 carpenters, 192 masons, 173 production crews, 140 customer service representative, 135 service crews, 134 sales associates/clerks, 117 drivers, 100 field collection officers, 86 mechanics and 62 electricians.
For overseas, the top 10 are 1,276 nurses, 591 cleaners, 267 teacher assistants, 266 waiters/waitresses, 200 female on-call cleaners, 157 sales associates, 125 welders, 120 service crews, 80 household service workers and 77 manicurists/pedicurists.
Aside from the job fair, Monreal said the Department of Trade and Industry would hold different livelihood trainings for individuals interested to engage in entrepreneurship while the DOLE-Davao would release livelihood grants to qualified beneficiaries.
The One-Stop Service Center for Overseas Filipino Workers, located on the fifth floor of the mall, will be opened to process the requirements of the job applicants.
Among the participating government agencies are the Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Department of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
