A total of 5,282 applicants applied for jobs at the annual MassKara Job Fair at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central Activity Center in Bacolod City on Sunday, October 5.
It is the city’s biggest employment event, organized by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO)-Bacolod in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Of the 5,282 applicants 2,206 were female and 3,076 were male, PESO head Mae Llamas told DIGICAST NEGROS.
She said 3,809 applicants qualified, 165 were near hired and 83 were hired on the spot.
Mayor Greg Gasataya, who led the opening of the job fair, was joined by Councilor Jason Villarosa, Llamas, Executive Assistant and PESO Coordinator Jovelyn Canoy, and DOLE officials and representatives.
“Rest assured that we will continue to develop more programs and initiatives to provide greater opportunities for our local workforce,” Gasataya sad..
This year’s fair offered nearly 11,000 jobs from over a hundred participating local and national firms. This gave applicants a wide range of employment options across various industries, Llamas said..
Canoy said that many participating companies were open to hiring entry-level applicants, including fresh graduates and senior high school completers.
“In response to the mayor’s call, I’ve observed that several of our partner firms have recalibrated their qualifications—without compromising the quality of job seekers they hire,” Canoy said.
Among those hired on the spot was Lyza Lou Abella, a single mother and call center agent who finally found an opportunity in public service. She will soon join PESO-Bacolod as a staff member.
“I never expected to be hired on the spot. I just wanted to find a job with regular working hours so I could spend more time with my two kids,” Abella said.
Also hired on the spot were Andria Pit and Michaela Calibut, both out-of-town applicants who will begin their new roles at a pharmacy in Bacolod.*