* The second annual Peso-Peza Local and Overseas Mega Job Fair in Lapu-Lapu City drew 2,345 registrants on Aug. 21, 2026, surpassing 2025's turnout.
* Out of 1,415 local applicants, 216 were hired on the spot by 50 participating employers offering 4,043 total job vacancies.
* Peso Manager Kim Francisco stated additional job fairs are scheduled for September and November 2026, including events at the Mahi Center and Barangay Mactan.
A TOTAL of 2,345 jobseekers registered at the “Peso-Peza Local and Overseas Mega Job Fair” in Lapu-Lapu City, with 216 local job applicants hired on the spot during the Aug. 21, 2026 event.
City Public Employment Service Office (Peso) Manager Kim Francisco, in a message to SunStar Cebu on Sunday, Aug. 23, said the variety of participating employers, the mix of industries, the presence of overseas hiring opportunities, and strong social media information dissemination drew registrants to the job fair.
A total of 1,415 applicants sought local jobs and 930 pursued overseas opportunities, with 50 employers offering 4,043 vacancies, including six legitimate overseas recruitment agencies.
More registrants
Francisco said the job fair, now in its second year, drew more registrants than the inaugural event in 2025, which attracted more than 1,900 job seekers.
The job fair was organized through the partnership of Peso and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, bringing together applicants and employers offering local and overseas employment opportunities.
A total of 216 applicants were identified as hired on the spot, based on the final report of the organizers.
Francisco explained Peso’s baseline for measuring hiring outcomes covers only local applicants, excluding those seeking overseas employment. He added most companies require applicants to undergo trade tests, final exams or interviews, with many applicants considered “near hires” pending further screening.
Peso has scheduled several job fairs in the remaining months of 2026, including a local job fair at the Mahi Center on Sept. 4 and a barangay job fair in Mactan on Sept. 11.
Another local and overseas job fair is also set for the first week of November as part of the “Fiesta sa Lapu-Lapu” celebration. / DPC