TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in partnership with Southern Leyte State University (SLSU)-Sogod Campus and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) held a one-day jobs fair on July 13, 2016 at SLSU-Sogod multi-purpose covered court in Sogod, Southern Leyte. The jobs fair aimed to help the unemployed and underemployed graduates of SLSU-Sogod and other people from Sogod and its neighboring towns find a window of opportunity for possible employment locally and abroad.
Prose Ivy Yepes, the university president thanked the participating agencies for their valuable time and support to the jobs fair. She added that the recruitment activity is a manifestation of SLSU-Sogod’s social responsibility to extend assistance to the unemployed people of the municipality particularly its graduates. She also proudly announced to institutionalize the conduct of yearly jobs fair to facilitate employment not only for their graduates but also for the entire jobseekers in Southern Leyte.
DOLE Southern Leyte Chief Fe Norma Valuis, who relayed the message of DOLE Regional Director Elias Cayanong, said that the labor department is collaborating not only with the local government units but also with academic institution like the SLSU-Sogod in looking for opportunities for graduates to find jobs. “The DOLE’s employment facilitation services like this job fair would spare our jobseekers from having to incur so much expenses just to look for job, by bringing this opportunity right at the backyard of the SLSU-Sogod”, Valuis added.
She also gave helpful tips to the jobseekers on how to conduct themselves during interview. “In applying for jobs it is like selling yourself. Hence, you have to convince the company that you are the best person they are looking for”, Valuis explained. Seven overseas recruitment agencies and twelve local employers participated in the mega jobs fair with 1,801 job vacancies. A total 209 applicants were interviewed, 137 of whom have qualified, and 29 applicants were hired -on –the- spot (HOTS) representing 21% of the total qualified applicants. (PR)
