GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 June) – Some 5,700 local and overseas jobs are up for grabs for the Kalayaan Job Fair here on Thursday in time for the celebration of the country’s 127th Independence Day.
Joel Gonzalez, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Region 12 director, said that 56 employers for local and foreign work are joining the job fair themed “Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan.”
“As we celebrate our freedom, we reaffirm our dedication to giving Filipinos the tools to shape their future through employment, livelihood, and inclusive government support,” he said.
The Kalayaan Job Fair will be held at the Events Center of SM City General Santos.
The initiative, which supports DOLE’s mandate to connect jobseekers with decent work, has already recorded 1,556 pre-registrants as of June 6.
Among the top local positions are candidate soldier course trainees, production crew, financial advisors, and customer service roles, Gonzales said.
On the other hand, overseas placements are available for nurses, medical technologists, and physical therapists, among others, he added.
Complementing the job fair is a One-Stop-Shop Assistance Hub, where jobseekers can avail of services from 13 government agencies, including the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
These government agencies will provide services such as issuance of clearances, ID registration, skills demonstrations, health checks, and career consultations.
The region will also host two Kadiwa ng Pangulo and Livelihood Fairs in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, and Kiamba, Sarangani, featuring 50 stalls operated by DOLE’s TUPAD beneficiaries, who will collectively receive ₱129,000 in wages.
TUPAD, which stands for Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, “is a community-based safety net initiative that provides temporary employment to workers in the informal sector.”
The DOLE-12 will also distribute ₱12.4 million worth of livelihood grants to 694 recipients, and ₱7.45 million in TUPAD wages to 1,821 disadvantaged workers across Region 12, also known as Soccsksargen.
Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.
As part of the Independence Day celebrations, DOLE-12 will also commemorate the 2025 World Day Against Child Labor in Tacurong City with 200 child laborers and their parents.
The activity includes an orientation on children’s rights, medical services, Project Angel Tree gift-giving, and creative contests promoting anti-child labor advocacy. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
