BAGUIO CITY – Some three hundred seventeen applicants for local and overseas employment were hired on the spot by various domestic and overseas employment companies during the Baguio Charter Day jobs fair last Saturday.
Acvording to Jose L. Atanacio, Executive Assistant IV of the City Mayor’s Office and concurrent Public Employment Services Office (PESO) Manager, of those who were hired on the spot, 279 applicants were hired by local companies while 38 applicants were hired by overseas employment agencies that participated in the one-day jobs fair.
Of the 2,154 number of applicants that were interviewed, 1,330 were looking for jobs in the locality while 824 applicants tried their luck for overseas employment.
He added of the total number of qualified applicants, 1,865 applicants were able to qualify for the initial screening conducted by the various companies that sent their representatives for the annual jobs fair sponsored by the local government.
Of the total number of qualified applicants, 1,124 applicants were qualified for the positions that they applied for with the participating local companies while 724 applicants initially qualified for the jobs that they applied for with the overseas employment agencies.
Earlier, 26 local companies offered more than 4,000 jobs that were up for grabs while the participating 14 overseas employment agencies offered more than 13,000 jobs in the different parts of the world.
Atanacio reported the placement rate in this year’s Charter Day jobs fair was at 17 percent although other applicants were still complying with the pertinent documents being required by their employers.
The Charter Day jobs fair was organized in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Civil Service Commission, the Baguio City Police Office¥, the Department of Public works and Highways – Baguio City District Engineering Office (DPWH-BCDEO), the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Long Distance Company, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, DPWH-CAR, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
The local government is spearheading the conduct of three major job fairs annually, particularly the Labor Day jobs fair, the Kalayaan jobs fair and the Charter Day jobs fair, oto provide qualified local residents with easy access to possible employment opportunities that will allow them to become productive citizens.
By Dexter A. See