JOBSEEKERS FIND NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT LABOR DAY JOB FAIRS IN BATANGAS

For almost a year, Ms. Honey Lee Etabag, a resident of Lipa City, has been looking for a permanent job after coming home from Taiwan as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW).

So, as soon as the mall opened for jobseekers, Ms. Etabag immediately went to the Labor Day Job Fair at the 5th Floor Carpark of SM City Lipa.

The mall co-partnered with the Lipa City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in realizing the job fair to provide employment opportunities to Batangueños.

“Hindi ko nga po ini-expect na sobrang dami po ng mag-a-apply ngayon. Medyo kabado po,” Ms. Etabag narrated.

Although a bachelor’s degree holder, Ms. Etabag admitted that landing a new work has been highly challenging especially during the onset of the pandemic.

But through the work opportunities from more than 40 companies available at the job fair, Ms. Etabag finally landed her new job after being hired on-the-spot as a field officer at a bank.

Ms. Honey Lee Etabag landed her new job as a field officer of a bank during the Labor Day Job Fair in SM City Lipa, Batangas. (Photo by Leomar De Torres/ DOLE-BPO)

“Very happy po ako ngayon kasi na-hire [na] po ako. For almost a year na po nag-a-apply ako, ang dami pong disappointments, frustrations pero at last po nahire na po ako,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, as early as eight o’clock in the morning, another early job fair attendee, Ms. Anna Luisa Carandang Mestio, also found a new career in the retail and trade industry by being hired on the spot as a cashier.

Early attendee, Ms. Anna Luisa Carandang Mestio, became a hired on-the-spot jobseeker after securing her new work as a cashier. (Photo by Leomar De Torres/ DOLE-BPO)

“Masaya kasi nakapag-apply ako dito nang maayos. Na-hire ng on-the-spot. So, excited na magwork as cashier…Ngayon lang ako na-hire na on-the-spot. So, thank you so much po and Mabuhay po kayo,” Ms. Mestio uttered.

Aside from the job fair at SM City Lipa, the Calaca City PESO simultaneously organized another recruitment event at their municipal gymnasium in celebration of Labor Day and their Calacatchara Festival.

DOLE BPO Employment Focal Person, Ms. April Rose Magpantay, consolidated the report of PESO Calaca City after its Labor Day job fair. (Photo by Jamaica Barro/ DOLE-BPO)

Hundreds of jobseekers joined the Labor Day activities of the City PESOs of Lipa and Calaca.

In his message, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma honored every Filipino worker for their dedication to the prosperity of the nation.

Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma’s message during the 121st Labor Day Celebration (Photo by: DOLE)

“Binibigyang-pugay natin ang kanilang mga inihandog na sakripisyo, kasabay ng ating pagbubunyi sa ipinamalas nilang kakayahan at likas na talion, kadalubhasaan, at etika sa trabaho na nagpapalakas ng ating sama-samang pagkilos upang makabangon ang ating ekonomiya tungo sa isang Matatag, Maginhawa, at Panatag na buhay para sa bawat manggagawa at pamilyang Pilipino,” Secretray Laguesma penned.

DOLE Batangas Provincial Office employment unit visited the job fair conducted in both cities and answered queries of job seekers and employers regarding labor and employment matters.