A total of 2,297 job applicants were hired on the spot (HOTS) during the recently concluded “Handog ng Pangulo 2025” job fairs conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in various parts of the country.

According to the preliminary report from the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), 2,297 out of the total of 14,240 registered job seekers were hired on the spot. Of the number, 57 are senior high school graduates and 24 are Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) beneficiaries.

It said most of the new hires were for entry-level positions, including those for production operators (349), followed by service crew (190), and cashiers (168).

Among the regions in the country, Calabarzon recorded the highest placement rate at 55.84 percent, followed by Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with 29.03 percent, and National Capital Region (NCR) with 23.54 percent.

Meanwhile, the BLE reported that a total of 11,145 individuals received benefits under the Government Internship Program (GIP) worth around PHP46.94 million, while 6,100 individuals benefited from the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), amounting to PHP30.89 million.

Under the JobStart Philippines Program (JSP), it said 102 beneficiaries also received a total allowance of PHP735,450.

Meanwhile, 667 individuals benefited from the Adjustment Measures Program (AMP) with a total amount of PHP54.79 million.

In addition, 79,004 disadvantaged workers were provided temporary wage employment under the TUPAD program, receiving a total of PHP442.4 million in wages, while 9,728 beneficiaries received livelihood assistance under the DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood Program, with total grant assistance of PHP214 million.

The “Handog ng Pangulo” is a series of activities that were aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to bring government initiatives closer to Filipinos, including simultaneous job fairs, and awarded livelihood assistance and cash grants across the country last Sept. 13. (PNA)