LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) – Sixty-one applicants were immediately hired during a job fair organized by the SM City Laoag and Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) on June 25 at the Centennial Arena here.
Dubbed “Trabaho para sa Super Pinoy,” the activity aims to provide career opportunities and local employment for Ilocos Norte residents with the upcoming opening of SM City Laoag.
Some 364 jobseekers applied for the vacancies offered by 22 participating companies.
Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc thanked the management of the soon-to-rise SM branch in Laoag City for the partnership in bringing on-the-spot job offers to residents.
Government agencies such as the Social Security System (SSS), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also participated in providing onsite essential services.
“This is my plea to SM that they continue to hire our fellow provincemates. We thank the SM for not only investing; but also for hiring locals in our province,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, Divina Gracia Ruiz, a jobseeker from Dingras town, was hired on the spot during the job fair and secured a selling assistant position at a business establishment.
“This will be my third job, and I thank the PGIN and SM City Laoag for this job fair,” said Ruiz.
The construction of the mall branch is still ongoing and is set to open to the public in the last quarter of the year.
According to data provided by the PESO, the province of Ilocos Norte recorded a 97 percent employment rate in 2023.
The provincial government continues to offer employment opportunities to the residents and upskill training to equip them for their careers. (AMB/MJTAB/PIA Ilocos Norte)
