CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) – Thousands of job opportunities are available for job seekers in the Calabarzon region as part of the 124th Labor Day celebration on May 1, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
Erwin Aquino, Regional Director of DOLE CALABARZON, said that a total of 19,390 job vacancies are available for job seekers in the region, to be offered across various sites in CALABARZON, bringing employment opportunities closer to the public, especially those seeking work.
“Ngayong Labor Day, magkakaroon ng malawakang job fair sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Calabarzon. Libo-libong job opportunities ang inihanda [natin] mula sa daan-daang employers, parehong lokal at overseas,” Aquino stated in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency.
A total of 174 employers participated in the celebration and are set to offer job opportunities across various sites in the region, ensuring that all provinces have access to equitable employment opportunities.
The schedule includes April 30 at the Imus City Sports Complex in Cavite; May 1 at the Jose Rizal Coliseum in Calamba City, Laguna; May 2 at Robinsons Place Lipa in Batangas and Robinsons Place Antipolo in Rizal; and May 6 at Tayabas City Hall in Quezon Province.
According to the 2025 data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), both the number of Filipinos seeking employment and those gaining jobs increased. However, the rise in job seekers led to a slight increase in the unemployment rate, which went up to 6.4 percent from 6.1 percent.
Aquino explained that this indicates increasing competition in the labor market, particularly among the youth and fresh graduates. Meanwhile, lower underemployment was recorded in the region, suggesting that more individuals are now engaged in stable and decent employment.
He added: “Sa kabuuan, lumalago ang labor market, pero kailangan palakasin ang job matching at skills training para mas maraming Pilipino ang makakuha ng angkop at disenteng trabaho”.
To address this challenge, the director stated that the Labor department is strengthening skills training and job-matching programs, as well as conducting job fairs in collaboration with other government agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the private sector.
“Upang tugunan ang skills mismatch, aktibong nakikipagtulungan ang Department of Labor and Employment sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority at iba pang ahensya. Pinapalakas [natin] ang mga training programs na nakaangkla sa pangangailangan ng industriya,” the DOLE director said.
Meanwhile, several government agencies, including TESDA, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the Social Security System (SSS), and the Pag-IBIG Fund, will extend services to Hire-On-The-Spot (HOTS) applicants and other job seekers requiring assistance.
This initiative promotes inclusive economic growth by expanding access to employment opportunities in local communities, in line with the government’s commitment to provide “Disenteng Trabaho Para sa Lahat” for all Filipinos. (COP/PIA CALABARZON)
