119 jobseekers turned employees at Trabaho Agad job fair, Handog ng Pangulo in Caraga
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Jobseekers across Caraga gained access to new employment opportunities as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Caraga and its field offices across the region, joined the nationwide rollout of Trabaho Agad job fair during the Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat caravan on September 14.
The Trabaho Agad job fair convened 66 local employers offering about 2,000 vacancies and 11 overseas employers presenting around 5,480 job openings. Out of the 756 registered applicants, 119 were hired on the spot, underscoring the fair’s direct impact on jobseekers.
The implementation was made possible through close collaboration with the provincial governments of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands, working hand in hand with their respective public employment services offices (PESOs) to strengthen local coordination and bring government assistance closer to communities.
DOLE Caraga Regional Director Jason P. Balais officially opened the job fair at the Robinsons Place Butuan venue, thanking participating employers and the national government. “We thank the employers who participated in this job fair opening doors for our jobseekers to hopefully find employment here. And we also thank the President for providing us with the opportunity to extend our services through the conduct of this Trabaho Agad job fair,” Balais said.
Among those hired was Herwin P. Pinachos, a resident of Magallanes, Agusan del Norte, who secured a position as a forklift operator in a local company. “I would like to sincerely thank DOLE Caraga and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for making this Handog ng Pangulo and Trabaho Agad job fair possible, especially for us who have long been seeking employment,” Pinachos shared.
The activity highlighted the government’s continuing efforts to deliver accessible employment services and strengthen livelihood opportunities for workers and jobseekers across Caraga.
Beyond immediate job placements, the initiative underscored the vital role of providing sustainable employment opportunities to Caraganons, especially amid ongoing economic challenges and the looming threat of calamities. By opening doors to decent work and income sources, programs like Handog ng Pangulo and Trabaho Agad help families build resilience, stability, and hope for a more secure future. (NJGD, PIA Caraga with a report from DOLE Caraga/Photo courtesy of DOLE Surigao del Sur)
