News
Hired on the Spot: Hope at DMW Independence Day job fair
By Marita Moaje, Philippine News Agency
Hundreds of job seekers are flocking to Robinsons Galleria in Quezon City this morning, June 12, 2025 as they seize opportunities at the DMW Overseas Job Fair in celebration of the 127th Independence Day. (Photo: Department of Migrant Workers/Facebook)
Angelika Buyan, a second-time job fair attendee, was among the applicants hired on the spot as a cleaner in Saudi Arabia.
“Overwhelming po, hindi ako makapaniwala (I still could not believe it),” she said, still processing the news she received just a few hours earlier from a recruitment agency.
Buyan said her contract includes free accommodation, meals, and transportation, with a salary of around PHP27,000.
“Magiging experience din naman po siya since first time ko po na mag-work abroad (It will be an experience since it’s my first time to work abroad),” she added.
The DMW said 11 applicants had been hired on the spot, all for cleaning jobs in Saudi Arabia.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the job fair offered about 3,700 overseas job slots, with positions ranging from cleaners, caregivers to factory workers.
He noted a growing trend in the demand for semi-skilled workers, such as caregivers and factory workers, particularly in countries like Canada, Croatia, and Slovenia.
For Renalyn Moral, 32 years old from Antique, the hiring was swift but deeply emotional.
“Masaya po. Na-hire agad-agad (I’m happy. I was hired right away),” she said.
Moral said she was told that the next step would be to prepare for her medical examination.
Meanwhile, Early Roy de San Jose, a former call center agent, shared that she decided to shift gears and seek work abroad.
She said this is her first time attending a job fair and applying for work abroad.
“Kasi po kahit medyo malaki na rin po yung sahod, hindi pa rin sapat po kasi ang mahal ng mga pamasahe, ng bilihin po. Kaya, tinry ko na lang po baka may chance po ako na mag-abroad muna (Even though the salary is quite high, it is still not enough, the transportation fares and living costs are expensive so I just tried, and maybe I have a chance to go abroad),” she said.
De San Jose shared that Saudi Arabia would be her first step to finally achieving her goal of eventually working in Germany, her dream destination.
Her motivation to work abroad is personal, for her parents, who are now in their senior years.
“Sa mga magulang ko po. Kasi parehas na po silang senior citizen. Kaya yun po, ako naman pong sumuporta sa kanila. Kasi kailangan din nila ng mga pambili ng gamot (For my parents because they are both senior citizens. That’s why I am the one supporting them because they also need money to buy medicine),” she said.
During an interview, Cacdac underscored the importance of the event coinciding with the celebration of the country’s 127th Independence Day.
He said the theme of ‘Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan’ (Freedom, Future, History) is deeply connected to the journey of every overseas Filipino worker (OFW).
“At maganda yung ating motto or theme kalayaan, kinabukasan, kasaysayan kasi sa tingin ko bilang mga bagong bayani, ang mga OFWs meron din kanilang kwento ng kalayaan, kinabukasan, kasaysayan. Sa bawat storya ng OFW, yung paga-abroad ay naka-ugat yan sa isa sa mga basehang kalayaan natin, karapatan natin bilang PIlipino (And our motto or theme is freedom, future, history, because I think that as modern day heroes, OFWs also have their own stories of freedom, future, history. In every OFW story, going abroad is rooted in one of our basic freedoms –our rights as Filipinos),” he said.
Cacdac said the job fair is part of the DMW’s commitment to facilitating legal overseas employment and protecting Filipino workers from illegal recruiters.
He also reminded Filipinos seeking overseas employment to always go through legal pathways and assured that the DMW is ready to guide them.
The DMW is set to hold more job fairs, including one for seafarers scheduled on June 26.
Cacdac said the department is also exploring government-to-government hiring agreements with Slovenia, Croatia, and Nova Scotia for roles like caregivers and skilled workers.
He encouraged jobseekers not to lose hope even if they are not hired immediately.
“More than 50 percent of applicants at these fairs are usually asked to return for follow-up interviews or to complete documents. That alone is a foot in the door,” he added.
