5,700 work offers at Independence Day job fair in GenSan

Job fair

Job fair is held in General Santos City. INQUIRER.net stock images

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Some 5,700 local and overseas jobs were up for grabs during the Kalayaan Job Fair here on Independence Day, June 12.

Joel Gonzalez, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Region 12 director, said that 56 employers had earlier confirmed participation in the job fair themed “Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan.”

“As we celebrate our freedom, we reaffirm our dedication to giving Filipinos the tools to shape their future through employment, livelihood, and inclusive government support,” he said.

READ: Job fairs set in 46 areas nationwide for Independence Day

The Kalayaan Job Fair was held at the Events Center of SM City General Santos.

The initiative, which supports DOLE’s mandate to connect jobseekers with decent work, has already recorded 1,556 pre-registrants as of June 6.

Among the top local positions are candidate soldier course trainees, production crew, financial advisors, and customer service roles, Gonzales said.

On the other hand, overseas placements were available for nurses, medical technologists, and physical therapists, among others, he added.

Complementing the job fair is a One-Stop-Shop Assistance Hub, where jobseekers avail of services from 13 government agencies, including the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

These government agencies provide services such as issuance of clearances, ID registration, skills demonstrations, health checks, and career consultations.

The region also hosted two Kadiwa ng Pangulo and Livelihood Fairs in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, and Kiamba, Sarangani, featuring 50 stalls operated by DOLE’s TUPAD beneficiaries, who collectively receive P129,000 in wages.

TUPAD, which stands for Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, “is a community-based safety net initiative that provides temporary employment to workers in the informal sector.”

The DOLE-12 also distributed P12.4 million worth of livelihood grants to 694 recipients, and P7.45 million in TUPAD wages to 1,821 disadvantaged workers across Region 12, also known as Soccsksargen.

Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.

As part of the Independence Day celebrations, DOLE-12 also commemorated the 2025 World Day Against Child Labor in Tacurong City with 200 child laborers and their parents.

The activity includes an orientation on children’s rights, medical services, Project Angel Tree gift-giving, and creative contests promoting anti-child labor advocacy./mr

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