Almost 3K jobseekers hired on Independence Day: DOLE

The Bureau of Local Employment reported that a total of 2,818 jobseekers were hired on the spot (HOTS) in the job fair held in 22 fair sites located in 16 regions. (File Photo: Department of Labor and Employment – DOLE/Facebook)

MANILA — Close to 3,000 jobseekers were hired at the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) job and business fair sites nationwide, in celebration of the country’s 121st Independence Day on Wednesday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Saturday.

The Bureau of Local Employment reported that a total of 2,818 jobseekers were hired on the spot (HOTS) in the job fair held in 22 fair sites located in 16 regions.

It added that a total of 9,327 applicants were ‘near-hires’.

Near-hires are individuals who may be considered as hired, but need to submit or lack additional requirements or may need to attend further interviews or tests.

They may be hired or placed depending on the outcome of their interview and compliance with pre-employment requirements of the hiring company.

A total of 21,722 applicants trooped to the different job and business fair sites nationwide last Wednesday.

With this, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III thanked the 560 participating employers, for offering 68,893 local and overseas jobs and taking part in the nationwide job fair.

“It is testament to their commitment to the continuing efforts of our government to give our Filipinos decent and productive jobs,” he said in a statement.

Among those who were hired-on-the-spot for overseas at the main job fair site in San Andres Sports Complex, Malate, Manila were Mark Neo, Ludovico Sison, Rachelle Fortuno, Elsha Espallardo, and Erwin Verdijo.

The successful jobseekers are bound for Qatar after they were hired as butchers, baker, cashier and sales associate, respectively.

Other jobseekers were referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for skills training (226), to livelihood assistance provided by DOLE (287), and to the Department of Trade and Industry for business opportunity (721).

A total of 1,582 were referred to other participating government agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Social Security System, Professional Regulation Commission, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Pag-IBIG, and Philippine Statistics Authority.