MANILA, Philippines — The government is considering holding monthly job fairs in various parts of the country, President Marcos said yesterday, as he vowed to sustain efforts to lower unemployment, provide quality jobs and upgrade the skills of workers.
In his remarks during the Jobstreet Career Con 2025 in Pasay City, Marcos said the government is working with various sectors to prepare the workers for employment, noting that the cooperation of business is crucial to its job generation efforts.
He described yesterday’s job fair as a “pilot project” that could be replicated in areas outside Metro Manila.
“When we did this (job fair) with SM, it was very successful so we said we would try to make it more frequent,” the President said in Filipino.
“It’s like a pilot project. If the result is good, our plan is to come up with something like this every month not just in Manila, but also in other places so that applicants will no longer need to go to Manila, to NCR,” he said. ?
Marcos said the unemployment rate has dropped, but the government will continue implementing measures to provide quality jobs.?The country’s unemployment rate stood at 3.2 percent in November, lower than the 3.6 percent recorded in the same month in 2023 and the 3.9 percent posted in October last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The number of jobless individuals was recorded at 1.66 million last November, down from 1.83 million in the same month two years ago and 1.97 million in October 2024.
“It should be a quality job with the potential to be promoted, to improve. In case they intend to build their own business, we will help them expand,” Marcos said, adding that the government has strengthened its support for job seekers.
The President also emphasized the need to enhance the skills of workers as the labor market and the needs of businesses continues to evolve.
“That is why reskilling or upskilling is important,” he said.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority is offering free training for workers so they can be qualified in the positions they are applying for, the President added.
About 18,000 applicants registered for the Jobstreet Career Con, which was held at the SMX Convention Center.
Among those present during the job expo were Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman Alejandro Tengco, Pasay Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano and SM Investments Corp. vice chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin