Fewer people apply for jobs at Independence Day fair; even fewer get hired

MANILA, Philippines —Too many jobs, but too few qualified applicants.

There were more than 65,000 job vacancies but there were only around 2,500 jobseekers who participated in the day-long job fair that was among the highlights of the country’s 115th Independence Day celebration in Manila on Wednesday.

The number was way lower than the 8,000 participants during the same event last year.

Organizers had been hoping to at least match the figure last year, said Lorna Obedoza, head of the technical services and support division of the Department of Labor’s Metro Manila regional office.

According to the department, many job vacancies during the job fair were not filled up because the applicants were not the ones needed by the industries.

In fact, as of noon Wednesday, data provided by DOLE showed that out of the 2,433 applicants, only 119 were hired on the spot. Another 1,790 jobseekers were scheduled for further interviews.

In a previous interview, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said that for the past years, many vacancies had not been filled mainly because of the job applicants’ lack of skills required in the industry.

She said the government has been trying to address this problem.

“The challenge for our workforce is to equip themselves continuously with skills that will make them move from one job to another. In a way, what is being secured is employment, not necessarily security of tenure,” she said.

Carrying the theme “Kalayaan: Ambagan Tungo sa Malawakang Kaunlaran,” the Kalayaan 2013 job fair was DOLE’s centerpiece event in celebration of the Independence Day. It was held at the South Drive of the Rizal Park in Manila.

“The celebration of the nation’s independence is also a timely occasion for the DOLE to unchain the unemployment plight in Metro Manila as we facilitate workers’ and employers’ search for jobs and skills through the job fair,” said Baldoz in a statement.

The job fair was opened to jobseekers at 8 a.m. after a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Philippine Daily Inquirer president and CEO Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez, DOLE officials Ma. Gloria Tango and Danilo Cruz and Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc (FFCCCI) president Alfonso Siy.

Some 147 licensed recruitment agencies and several government agencies participated in the job fair, according to DOLE.

Jobs offered included those in the cyber services; hotel and restaurant/tourism; health and wellness; wholesale and retail trade; construction; automotive; banking; insurance; logistics; and finance and real estate.

There were several applicants who were turned down by the employer either because their course was not related to the position they were applying for or they lacked the skills needed for the job.

One of them, Angeline Tablea, a 26-year-old former sales lady at a mall, said she would have wanted to use her knowledge in information technology but her application was turned down.

Tablea said she was told to acquire additional training first as her skills were not enough for her to fill the job she was applying for in a business process outsourcing company.

Catherine dela Cruz, a 21-year-old fresh graduate, also went to the job fair to try her luck. She said it was her first time applying for a job.

She said she was willing to accept any position to acquire experience. She submitted her credentials to three companies and was told to wait for their call.

Jobseekers who failed to go to the Luneta job fair still have chances to attend job fairs in different regions, DOLE said.

“We invite jobseekers, including fresh graduates and other entrants to the labor force, to go to these job fairs. They need not go to Manila or other highly urbanized areas, which they perceive to be where the jobs are. The jobs are right there in their home regions,” said Baldoz.

She said the schedule of the job fairs may be viewed online at Phil-Jobnet, which is linked to DOLE website www.dole.gov.ph. –Tina G. Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer

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