2 solons urge gov’t to hold more online job fairs to help Filipinos seeking work

JOB SEEKERS Jobless Filipinos fill out application forms at a job fair initiated by the Department of Labor and Employment on Labor Day at SM North Edsa in Quezon City. File Photo / Philippine Daily Inquirer / LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Two lawmakers in the House of Representatives are urging the national government to hold more online job fairs and virtual career platform activities to help assist job-seekers and displaced workers.

Under House Resolution No. 1597, Deputy Speaker Camille Villar and Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Francisco Benitez urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and other relevant state agencies to intensify online job fairs to further ease unemployment in the country, accelerate the economy and keep families afloat during the economic crisis.

“Virtual career platforms provide a succinct digitize human resources and recruitment process that assist job applicants in finding unique opportunities and job vacancies, consolidate data in one place as well as encourage good work ethics and understand company’s work culture,” the lawmakers said in the resolution dated February 22.

“Various government agencies must innovate in generating job opportunities during the pandemic and health crisis,” they added.

Citing a report from the International Labor Organization (ILO) Asia Pacific in December 2020, the lawmakers said: “around 10.9 million Filipino workers lost their jobs and had lower incomes and working hours this year as the Covid-19 pandemic affected the economy.”

The lawmakers added that high-risk sectors with most displacements include manufacturing, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities, as well as arts, entertainment, and recreation.

“The unemployment rate of the Philippines in 2020 is at 10.4%, the highest in 15 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown shuttering thousands of businesses,” the lawmakers said.

“With the vaccination in the country to roll out in the next few days and as the economy is expected to rebound and gradually reopens, a roadmap on employment, jobs and opportunities must be set in place, taking into consideration health protocols and the government restriction on mass gatherings,” they added.

JPV