by Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Apr 27 (PIA) – Over
seven thousand job vacancies was offered to Isabelaños in Basilan during the
Job Fair last April 20, hosted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
here.
DOLE-Isabela said some 7,000 job vacancies
are available for overseas employment offered by twelve (12) overseas
recruitment agencies and some sixty (60) job vacancies for local employment
offered by seven local employers.
Engr. Wesley Tan, officer-in-charge of DOLE
Isabela City Field Office said that the job fair was held in connection with
the 11th Founding Anniversary of the city of Isabela and as a
preliminary activity of the department in the observance of the Labor month of
May.
He said that this is part of the thrust of
common dissent work agenda of government to prevent Filipino job seekers from
becoming victims of illegal recruitment activities and trafficking. He then
advised constituents to seek employment in a DOLE-accredited activity like the
job fair.
Tan disclosed that 16 overseas recruitment
agencies participated and mostly are members of the Association of Zamboanga City
Recruitment Agencies (AZCRA).
To provide equal opportunity for new graduates,
DOLE also invited about 11 local employers based in Zamboanga, too. “Kasi medyo
dehado ang mga new graduates sa overseas employment because of age requirement
as well as employment experience (age 23 is the minimum age requirement for
overseas work), mga new graduates are in the age of 20 or 21 and the option for
them is local employment,” Tan explained.
He noted further that as of April 19, some
8,000 balanced job opening were available, “meaning hindi pa napunuan according
to available job orders of respective agencies.”
DOLE required applicants to fill up the
National Manpower Skills Registration System (NMSRS) form. Tan said that data
from this reveals that most of the applicants are actually qualified “kaya lang
ang tinitingnan talaga ng department ay yung hired on-the-spot (HOTS).”
Out of the 184 registered applicants, DOLE
disclosed that 14 were hired on-the-spot for overseas employment and 23 for
local employment, while the rest were qualified for further interview and
submission of requirements, which most of the applicants failed to bring.
Tan underscored that the Job Fair is an
opportunity given by the department for Filipinos where Isabelaños need not
spend much for fares and other travel costs in going to Zamboanga and other
cities to seek for job or career options.
“We bring the employers and job seekers in
one venue as in a market. The employment opportunities are there so the
challenge is for our applicants to match the demands in the labor market,” Tan
added.
Earlier, a soft opening ceremony of the job
fair was held with City Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar who urged her constituents
and the neighboring municipalities to take advantage of the opportunity. She
highlighted the partnership of the different agencies relative to the economic
development of Isabela.
The mayor expressed her gratitude especially
to attendance of overseas recruitment agencies, whose presence she said is a
manifestation that in fact business is doing good in this part of the
peninsula.
Moreover, DOLE also facilitated the release
of kabuhayan starter kits to ex-OFWs.
Some 19 beneficiaries received livelihood packages of assistance ranging from
food processing, sewing, and preparation of native snacks in the total amount
of some Php179,830.00.
Meanwhile, the labor department has been
intensive in its campaign on job generation. When asked about the status of the
Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), Tan reported that
Isabela City has some 135 students employed by the Basilan State College (BaSC),
the Claret College of Isabela, and the LARBAI cooperative. He said students
will for a minimum of 20 days and a maximum of 52 days, “malaking tulong na rin
sa mga estudyante.”
