Nearly 4,500 job seekers were hired on the spot during simultaneous job fairs held nationwide on Friday, June 12, as the country marked the 128th Philippine Independence Day, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
In a statement on Saturday, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said 4,476 applicants were immediately hired under the DOLE TRABAHO AGAD Job Fairs, based on data from the Bureau of Local Employment.
The hired applicants included production operators, service crew members, cashiers, sales associates, baggers, teachers, packagers, customer service representatives, clerks, and store clerks.
Tolentino said the figure reflects a steady increase in on-the-spot hiring over the past years, citing 3,665 hires in 2022, 3,422 in 2023, 3,651 in 2024, and 3,722 in 2025.
He described the 2026 turnout as a “massive success,” attributing it to stronger employment facilitation efforts and improved coordination between government and employers.
Held in 61 sites across the country, the job fairs directly connected applicants with companies, allowing qualified job seekers to receive immediate employment offers and transition into work more quickly.
DOLE said the initiative also promoted inclusive hiring by opening opportunities for senior high school graduates, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), indigenous peoples, repatriated overseas Filipino workers, and persons with disabilities.
The agency said the program provided participants with broader access to sustainable livelihood opportunities and supported efforts to improve workforce participation across sectors.
It added that the job fairs align with the Marcos administration’s push to expand employment generation and bring government services closer to communities nationwide.
Tolentino credited the success of the activity to the strong coordination between DOLE regional offices and Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), which helped ensure smooth implementation across all sites.
He also thanked partner agencies, including the Social Security System (SSS) and PhilHealth, for supporting the job fairs and turning them into a more comprehensive public service initiative.
Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency
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