PBBM eyes monthly job fairs across PH to further cut unemployment rate

FILE: JOB HUNTERS. Job applicants queue up in the hope of landing viable employment opportunities from 34 participating companies and government agencies that collaborated with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Jobs Sector Group to join the job fair held at a mall in Marikina on Labor Day on Wednesday (May 1, 2024). Some applicants were fortunate to get hired on the spot. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday expressed plans to hold monthly job fairs across the country in a bid to further bring down unemployment rate.

Speaking at the Jobstreet Career Con 2025 held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Marcos revealed that the government is keen on expanding employment opportunities through regular career events.

“Subukan nating dalasan. Kaya medyo pilot event ito. Kung maganda ang maging resulta, ang plano talaga natin gagawa kami ng isang ganito bawat buwan (Let’s do this more often. This is somehow a pilot event. If the turnout is good, we will hold career events monthly),” Marcos said.

“At hindi lamang dito sa Maynila para hindi kailangang pumunta dito sa Maynila, sa NCR at puntahan natin yung mga nais mag-apply sa iba’t-ibang probinsya (Not just here in Metro Manila, we will also bring this event to jobseekers in the provinces),”he added.

The Career Con 2025 is organized by Jobstreet in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with over 150 employers and some 8,000 job vacancies.

Marcos said 18,000 jobseekers have registered to participate in the event, which aims to provide employment opportunities across various industries, ranging from entry-level positions to senior roles.

In his speech, the President also emphasized the government’s efforts on upskilling and re-skilling of workers led by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The country’s unemployment rate further went down to 3.2 percent in November last year from 3.6 percent in the same month of 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported early this month.

The employment rate rose to 96.8 percent from 96.4 percent in November 2023.