DUMAGUETE CITY, April 25 (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Negros Oriental will conduct four major events on May 1 to mark the local observance of the 122nd Labor Day.

These are the nationwide simultaneous job fair, Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para sa Manggagawa, turnover of cash assistance to the beneficiaries of DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) programs, and the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) fun games and raffle prizes for labor sector members.

Labor Day Job Fair 

Provincial Public Employment Service (PESO) manager Alein Balsamo said 4,000 job vacancies will be offered to job seekers at the Labor Day Job Fair at the Lamberto Macias Sports Center.

Some 17 local companies and three overseas recruitment agencies will join the job fair, which will run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The job vacancies include senior salesman, cashier, receiver, waiter, supervisor, kitchen production assistant, counter crew, bartender, purchase officers, loans and credit officer, front desk clerks, and call center agents for local employment.

Jobs available for overseas employment include nurses, midwives, restaurant workers, laborer, engineering positions, sales personnel, and cooks.

“Daghan kaayo tang kapilian. Adto lang ta tanan. Naa man siya ibutang nga mga screen na makita on the spot ang ilang aplayan. Mopili ang applicants kon unsa ang ilang aplayan,” said Balsamo. 

She explained that a large screen will be set up so that job applicants can see all the job listings. 

Job applicants are encouraged to bring their bio-data, identification cards, and photocopies of certificates of trainings they attended, and other pertinent documents to ensure a smooth application process.

One-stop shop

Government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Statistics Authority, Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will also offer their services for free under the one-stop shop of government services during the job fair.

Job applicants can also avail of essential government services through the provincial government’s Medical, Legal, and Social (MLS) Caravan which will also be held in the same venue on the same day.

Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para sa Manggagawa

DOLE Negros Oriental senior labor and employment officer Atty. Diego Nochefranca said registered and DOLE-assisted farmers associations will be selling farm produce at cheaper prices during the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para sa Manggagawa to be held outside the Macias Sports Center.

Parents of child laborers in Tanjay City will also participate in the agricultural fair and sell uyap or shrimp paste during the event. 

DOLE provided livelihood support to them so they would no longer put their child at risk for exploitation and hard labor.

“Pwede ta motabang nila by patronizing (their products). Ako pod gi-invite ang tanan na moadto ta and makapalit pod ta sa ilang produkto. Mga presko gud ni gikan sa ila respective na farms,” said Nochefranca. 

(We can help them by patronizing their products. I invite everyone to visit them and buy their products. I guarantee those are fresh and came from their respective farms.) 

Fun day and cash assistance 

TIPC has also organized raffles and fun games for workers in the formal and informal sector on May 1 at the lobby of the Perdices Coliseum.

Negros Oriental TIPC vice chair for labor sector, Felizardo Calimpong, said this event is TIPC’s way of treating the labor force on their special day.  

“Daghan mga dula ani na gi-line up na nato and naay mga prizes. Ato lang suportahan ang Labor Day activities kay atong day man ni. Ang uban gani gaingon na atong birthday ni,” Calimpong said.

(We have lined up many games and prizes. We urge everyone to participate in our Labor Day activities because this is our day. Some even say that this is our birthday.) 

A similar activity was also conducted last year wherein attendees won motorcycles and brought home half a sack of rice. 

Another highlight of the Labor Day celebration is the turnover of cash assistance to 1,000 TUPAD beneficiaries and the awarding of livelihood grants to three associations assisted by DOLE.

Nochefranca said each TUPAD beneficiary will receive P4,680 as payment for the community service they have rendered in their respective areas. 

DOLE officer Ruby Cempron also announced that the department will turn over fish aggregating device (payaw) to Malaga United Fisherfolk Association and one unit of motorized pump boat to the Asosasyon sa Gamayng Manangat sa Poblacion as livelihood grants under its DILEEP Program.

The third association to receive a livelihood grant in the form of motorcycle parts package is the Tanjay City Tricycle Roving Operator and Drivers Association.

Nochefranca explained that the group  has proposed to operate a motorcycle parts shop as additional income for their association.

The total amount of the livelihood grants to be distributed to the three DOLE – accredited associations is P2.9 million. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)