A 24-year-old senior high school graduate was among the fortunate applicants who secured employment during the Independence Day job fair held at SM City in Legazpi City, Albay on Wednesday, June 12.
Christine Joy Funtanara from Barangay Buragis, Legazpi City was hired on the spot at the said event, which was organized to celebrate the national holiday. The job fair featured over 5,000 available positions across 43 venues nationwide.
Funtanara will soon work as a production operator to be based in Laguna. Her new role comes with a salary of P18,000 to P25,000 per month, after undergoing three months of training and a thorough medical and physical examination, according to her recruiter NatCorp, Inc.
The young professional was among the lucky ones who stood out in the bustling crowd of job seekers. Funtanara said she lined up as early as 7:00 in the morning, hoping to get hired on the spot.
This wasn’t the case, however, for 27-year-old Jonas Christian Napao, who struggled to find suitable employment due to misconceptions about his physical capabilities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics technology despite his mild cerebral palsy.
Napao considered his condition as a major hindrance in finding opportunities for an office-based job. He said some employers asked him if he could lift heavy objects during job interviews, which apparently became the dealbreaker.
According to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) OIC regional director Imelda Romanillos, there were at least 32 employers who offered a wide range of work opportunities in the manufacturing, business process outsourcing, and retail sectors at the SM City Legazpi job fair.
Job seekers were encouraged to register online before attending the fair for a streamlined interview process.
The event also featured the awarding of over P75 million in livelihood grants and stipends to more than 16,000 beneficiaries of Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Government Internship Program, and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program of DOLE.
DOLE also conducted a Safety Officer Training (SO1) as part of its Occupational Safety Program and offered orientations on business management to help combat child labor.