Quezon City: While many Filipinos celebrated Independence Day with flags and parades, jobseekers flocked to the 127th Independence Day Mega Job Fair of the Department of Migrant Workers in Quezon City on Thursday. Angelika Buyan, a second-time job fair attendee, was among the applicants hired on the spot as a cleaner in Saudi Arabia.
According to Philippines News Agency, Buyan expressed her disbelief and excitement after receiving the news from a recruitment agency. Her employment contract includes free accommodation, meals, and transportation, with a salary of approximately PHP27,000. Buyan mentioned that working abroad will be a new experience for her.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that 11 applicants were hired on the spot, all for cleaning jobs in Saudi Arabia. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stated that the job fair offered about 3,700 overseas job slots, with positions ranging from cleaners, caregivers to factory workers. He highlighted a rising demand for semi-skilled workers, such as caregivers and factory workers, in countries like Canada, Croatia, and Slovenia.
Renalyn Moral, a 32-year-old from Antique, described the hiring process as swift and emotional. She was informed that the next step would involve preparing for her medical examination. Meanwhile, Early Roy de San Jose, a former call center agent, decided to explore job opportunities abroad, marking her first experience attending a job fair and applying for work overseas. De San Jose shared her aspirations to eventually work in Germany, driven by the desire to support her senior citizen parents.
During an interview, Cacdac emphasized the significance of the job fair coinciding with the 127th Independence Day celebration. He explained that the theme 'Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan' (Freedom, Future, History) resonates with the journey of every overseas Filipino worker (OFW), highlighting their stories of freedom, future, and history. Cacdac reiterated the DMW's commitment to facilitating legal overseas employment and protecting Filipino workers from illegal recruiters.
The DMW plans to organize more job fairs, including an event for seafarers scheduled on June 26. Cacdac mentioned that the department is exploring government-to-government hiring agreements with Slovenia, Croatia, and Nova Scotia for roles like caregivers and skilled workers. He encouraged jobseekers to remain hopeful, noting that more than half of the applicants at these fairs typically receive follow-up interview invitations or requests to complete documentation, indicating progress in their job search journey.
