THE Department of Labor and Employment-Davao Region (DOLE-Davao) reported an increase in the number of jobseekers hired on the spot during the Trabaho Agad Job Fair held in celebration of the 128th Philippine Independence Day.
Dole-Davao said 116 jobseekers were hired on the spot during the job fair held at SM City Davao, higher than the 109 Hired-on-the-Spot (HOTS) applicants recorded in 2025.
Out of the 920 jobseekers who participated, 116 or 16.48 percent were hired on the spot, compared to last year’s 14.32 percent or 109 HOTS applicants.
Among those hired were 29 senior high school graduates, 10 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), 15 Indigenous Peoples (IPs), and four beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The top local vacancies filled during the job fair included customer support staff in business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, accountants and accounting staff, cashiers, security personnel, plant machine operators, delivery drivers, sales representatives, baggers, and heavy equipment operators.
The event gathered 30 local employers and two overseas employers, offering a total of 2,300 job vacancies to jobseekers across the Davao Region.
DOLE-Davao Regional Director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy expressed gratitude to partner agencies and employers who supported the initiative.
“Together, we pursue our shared goal of helping every worker achieve ‘kalayaan sa kahirapan’ (freedom from poverty) through decent work, fair wages, and sustained opportunities for growth. As we celebrate our nation’s independence, may this job fair bring hope, opportunity, and a brighter future to all who seek it,” he said.
He added that the job fair aimed to provide employment opportunities not only for college graduates but also for senior high school graduates, high school graduates, college undergraduates, and other groups facing barriers to employment.
To help speed up the hiring process, the program also featured a One-Stop Shop (OSS), where 14 government agencies provided accessible services to jobseekers and the public.
The job fair is part of DOLE-Davao’s efforts to support employment generation in the region by connecting employers with qualified jobseekers. RGP
