Some 78 applicants for local employment and one for an overseas job have been hired on the spot (HOTS) while 210 job seekers were to process their requirements after the successful holding of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Kalayaan Job Fair held at SM City Bacolod here Monday.

In a statement on Tuesday, DOLE-Western Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. congratulated those hired on the spot with complete requirements and advised the others to immediately process their needed papers.

“I express my appreciation to the valuable contributions of the employers and the different partner-agencies that made the success of the 2023 Kalayaan Job Fair possible,” he added.

At least 51 local employers and companies and four licensed agencies for overseas employment participated in the event.

Rodriguez said the DOLE holds jobs fair to provide a common venue for companies to reach out to job seekers and also connect the applicants with top employers.

He added that during an employment fair, applicants should take advantage of the opportunity to explore and secure a job that suits one’s skills, qualifications and aspirations.

During the job fair here, other government agencies also provided on-site services to assist applicants with their pre-employment requirements.

Among these were the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Postal Corp., Department of Foreign Affairs, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Social Security System, Pag-IBIG Fund, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The city’s Public Employment Services Office assisted the DOLE by providing a list of local employers and companies and conducting information dissemination. (PNA)