Hundreds jobless after ‘Yolanda’ cling to hope in job fair

TACLOBAN CITY—Agnes Salonoy lost her job as a saleslady when the shopping mall she was working in for the past three years stopped operating on Nov. 8 last year when this city was devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

She joined more than 3,000 people who trooped to the gymnasium of Leyte Normal University on Wednesday with a single objective—to find jobs.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) held a job fair for the people of the city who lost employment after Yolanda struck this city and other parts of Eastern Visayas.

Hans Leo Cacdac, administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, said at a news conference on Wednesday that 17 local business establishments and 36 recruitment agencies took part in the job fair.

Cacdac, representing Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, said 14,000 jobs were offered at the fair. More than 2,000 of the jobs are local while more than 11,000 are overseas.

The DOLE office in Eastern Visayas earlier reported that more than 19,000 workers had lost their jobs in the aftermath of Yolanda.

The unemployment figure, according to Labor Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga, could be higher since the initial jobless figure was based on only a “rapid assessment” and survey of big establishments.

Former saleslady Salonoy was among the hundreds who queued for jobs at the fair. Her house was destroyed by Yolanda and, to add to her misery, she lost her job as a saleslady at Gaisano Central, a popular mall in the city.

“I am thinking positive, that I can be hired. I really need a job to help my family,” said the 25-year-old college graduate, holding a copy of her resume and application letter.

Her father, Estanislao, 49, is a candle maker whose earnings are barely enough for the family. Salonoy has two younger siblings.

Another applicant was Jose Ybanez, who at 58 could be one of the oldest jobless people who went to the fair.

He said he hoped to work abroad again after leaving his overseas job to check on his family in Capoocan town, Leyte province, which was also hit by Yolanda.

“I worked in Dubai as a seaman. But when I heard the news that Leyte was devastated by Yolanda, I immediately asked permission from my bosses to go home and see their condition,” Ybanez said.

Now that he was jobless and nearly broke, the father of three children said his most ardent wish was to find employment again abroad.