At least 40 applicants are now part of the labor force after they were hired on the spot in the job fair held at the SM City Telebastagan here on Monday.

In line with the celebration of the 125th Independence Day, six job fairs were conducted simultaneously in different sites in Central Luzon.

Arlene Tolentino, provincial director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Pampanga, said on Tuesday some 180 job applicants joined the job fair in line with the Independence Day celebration despite the occasional moderate to heavy rains throughout the day.

“This activity is part of DOLE’s commitment to providing full, decent and productive employment to Filipinos where they are free to express and perform accordingly to our labor laws,” Tolentino said in a statement.

Vanessa Pulmano, who is about to graduate in a human resource management course in September this year, was hired on the spot by Ace Hardware Corporation.

“It was a pleasant surprise to get hired on the spot as this was my first job interview. The job fair was mentioned to us by our superior from Overseas Workers Welfare Administration where we had our on-the-job training. I am hoping that my employment will help me in my dream of becoming a human resource officer in the future,” Pulmano said in an interview.

Tolentino, meanwhile, assured that the 71 near-hire applicants during the job fair will be assisted to complete their employment.

Likewise, she urged those who were not hired to not give up as they are many employment opportunities still available to them.

DOLE Pampanga, in partnership with SM City Telabastagan, Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) and various local government units and national government agencies, has provided applicants the opportunity to access the 4,315 job vacancies offered by 28 companies from the province.

Aside from the job fairs, DOLE Pampanga also awarded livelihood enhancement packages to 10 parents of child laborers under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).

The initiative of augmenting the income of parents of child laborers is part of the #BatangMalaya movement, the government’s approach to achieving a child-labor-free Philippines. (PNA)