The Department of Labor and Employment-Western Visayas (DOLE-6) is enjoining companies and recruitment agencies to hire more applicants during the 2025 Kalayaan Job Fair at SM City Bacolod today, June 12.
In a press briefing Wednesday, DOLE6 regional director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said all jobseekers are welcome, not only those seeking new employment but also fresh college graduates, high school graduates, and technical-vocational completers, as 10,386 vacancies will be available during the Independence Day job fair.
“We expect to have higher placements like what happened on May 1. Marami naman na (Many got) hired on the spot. With these different agencies participating with us, I hope they can hire more. We will encourage them tomorrow,” he said at the DOLE-Negros Occidental Field Office in Bacolod.
This year’s Kalayaan Job Fair gathers 57 local companies offering 8,852 jobs and four recruitment agencies with 1,534 overseas vacancies.
Job openings are offered in various industries, such as wholesale and retail, food and beverage, transport and logistics, construction, financial services, insurance, and information technology-business process outsourcing.
Opportunities are also available in the fields of sales and marketing, accounting and administrative support, customer service and skilled trades, including drivers, kitchen staff and utility workers.
At the job fair, the DOLE6 will set up a help desk to assist clients in the application process, while representatives from partner-government agencies will also provide onsite services and assistance.
Rodriguez thanked the companies and employers for their support in the DOLE’s mandate to provide employment opportunities and for their commitment in maintaining a robust and dynamic labor market.
As part of the job fair, DOLE-Negros Occidental provincial head Carmela Abellar said that products of local farmers and producers will be sold at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo store at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central.
Meanwhile, she said the DOLE will mark the World Day Against Child Labor with the signing of pledge of commitment and memorandum of agreement with partner-stakeholders for the prevention and elimination of child labor at the 888 GT Mall. | PNA
