NEWS

DOLE, Labor Unions, Others Staged Biggest Job Fair
22 May 2009

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) teamed up with the country’s largest labor unions and private sectors to hold the biggest simultaneous job fairs in all regions nationwide last May 1, 2009, Labor Day

Aptly titiled “Labor Day Tayo Na! Trabaho Na! JOBapalooza 09”, the event aims to serve as a venue for fresh graduates and workers affected by the global economic downturn to find available job here and abroad.

JOBapalooza ’09 was held simultaneously in 16 regions on Labor Day with the help of sponsoring firms, employers, recruitment agencies, local government units, Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), and other government agencies. 830 employers offering a total of 45,776 local employment and 847 recruitment agencies offering a total of 173,204 job vacancies for overseas work participated during the nationwide job fair.

The Manila leg was held at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City while the Cebu leg was held simultaneously at SM City Cebu and the Cebu Provincial Capitol Compound. The Amusement and Events Center of the Pagadian Provincial Capitol Compound served as the venue for the Zamboanga del Sur Leg and the Baguio Convention Center for the Baguio City Leg.

In a statement posted at the Department’s website, 10,000 applicants were hired on the spot nationwide during the biggest job fair in the country to this date while around 16,000 applicants were referred to participating firms which offered highly in-demand jobs.

In demand jobs in the country at present include those in call centers, business process outsourcing, IT services, wholesale and retail, construction, engineering, automotive, food and beverages, catering, hotels and restaurants, agriculture and agri-related business, manufacturing, apparel, education, banking and finance, travel and tourism, real estate, transportation, hospital and medical services, and bio-technology and clinical research.

Apart from the job fair, there were also skills demonstration, livelihood products display and sales, and distribution of training and scholarship certificates. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), on the other hand, extended a total of P9 million in livelihood assistance to 200 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were displaced by the global crisis. Almost P3 million was also granted to eight Metro Manila-based labor groups to fund their livelihood projects under the workers income augmentation program (WINAP).

The Manila leg of JOBapalooza ’09 staged “Alay sa Manggagawang Pilipino", a concert featuring the country's top bands to serve as tribute to the country's working men and women who serve as the backbone of the economy. Among the performers were Gary Valenciano and Rivermaya.

The participating trade unions are the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Federation of Free Workers, Associated Labor Union, Philippine Transport General Workers Organization, All Workers Alliance Trade Union, Trade Union of the Philippines and Allied Services, Alliance of Filipino Workers, Philippine Organization of Labor Unions, and the National Association of Trade Union.

Trabaho.com. thanks its following sources:

DOLE Information and Publication Service. Jobapalooza '09 hired 10,000 applicants on the spot (Posted May 13, 2009) Retrieved May 14, 2009 from
http://www.dole.gov.ph/news/details.asp?id=N000002328
Reposted by Gov.ph at
http://www.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2000523&Itemid=2

DOLE Information and Publication Service. Jobapalooza ‘09:250,000 local, overseas jobs offered at Labor Day job fair (Posted April 30, 2009) Retrieved May 14, 2009 from
http://www.dole.gov.ph/news/details.asp?id=N000002324

DOLE Information and Publication Service. Gary V., Rivermaya topbill Labor Day concert at Jobapalooza (Posted April 30, 2009) Retrieved May 14, 2009 from
http://www.dole.gov.ph/news/details.asp?id=N000002323

Sun Star General Santos. 10,000 jobs offered in Jobapalooza '09 (Posted May 14, 2009) Retrieved May 14, 2009 from
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/general-santos/10000-jobs-offered-jobapalooza-09

Cebu Daily News. 2-T applicants troop to JOBapalooza (Posted May 11, 2009) Retrieved May 14, 2009 from
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/community/view/20090511-204358/2-T_applicants_troop_to_JOBapalooza

Aning, Jerome, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Thousands flock to 2009 job fair (Posted May 1, 2009) Retrieved May 14, 2009 from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090501-202594/Thousands-flock-to-2009-job-fair