Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The lure of overseas employment seems to be fading, as more workers are seeking jobs in the country.

This was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag, who said more than half of yesterday’s applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs.

Fameronag said as of 1 p.m. yesterday, they have recorded a total of 22,036 job applicants nationwide, more than half of whom wanted domestic employment.

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied, almost 11,283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview, while 2,292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS).

“We have already posted 36.1 percent HOTS, with 497 of those hired for local employment,” Fameronag said. 

In Metro Manila, DOLE National Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time, more local jobs were offered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment.

Hornilla said 17,000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15,000 overseas jobs.

Of the more than 1,000 registered applicants, 320 were hired-on-the-spot, with local employment accounting for 265 of the job placements.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job opportunities, both local and overseas, offered in the last Labor Day job fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration.

“We are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Day,” Baldoz said, adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS.

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies.

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the Labor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encourage more investments, such as in tourism and infrastructure, have succeeded.

“So we are looking forward to a brighter future for our workers,” Baldoz said.

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unemployment.

The increasing HOTS for the past years, Fameronag added, indicated DOLE’s job facilitation services are working well.

He said the Labor Day job fair would continue for a month.

“That is the measure how we are performing in our one-day job fair. This time we hope to exceed last year’s number of job applicants as well as the HOTS,” he said.

Hired on the spot

Fameronag dismissed allegations that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment.

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals.

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz, it took her only 10 minutes to find employment upon arriving at yesterday’s Labor Day job fair.

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immediately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13,000 plus other benefits, despite her lack of work experience.

“I was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduate,” Diaz said.