At least 419 out of the 1,292 jobseekers were instantly hired during the simultaneous Labor Day job fairs across the Caraga Region (Region 13), an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Thursday.

“The annual celebration is one of the key components of a broader strategy of the DOLE to strengthen employment facilitation and part of the Philippine Labor Employment Plan 2023-2028,” DOLE-13 Director Joffrey Suyao said in a statement.

Suyao said the job fairs in the region’s five provinces presented over 6,000 vacant positions and provided a platform for individuals from various backgrounds and skill sets to connect with companies.

Among those hired on the spot was Jackielyn Ranes, 23, of Talacogon, Agusan del Sur.

“This will be my first time to work in a company that hired me instantly. I am thankful to the government for the program which allowed me and the rest of the job seekers to find decent jobs,” she said.

Also on Wednesday, DOLE-13 said it released some PHP130.7 million in payments to 29,572 beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

Job hires in Davao Region

Meanwhile, around 176 applicants were also hired on the spot (HOTS) during the Labor Day job fairs in the cities of Davao, Digos, and Tagum, the Department of Labor and Employment in Davao Region (DOLE-11) said Thursday.

Apart from the HOTS, around 554 are near-hired applicants from the 2,201 jobseekers.

At least 6,147 job openings were available, 2,862 of which were for local employment while 3,285 were bound overseas, said Lorraine Grace Ugsang, DOLE-11 administrative officer. (PNA)