JOB OPPORTUNITIES. Various government agencies, led by the Department of Labor and Employment, will hold the Kalayaan (Freedom) Jobs Fair in Baguio City, and the provinces of Abra, Ifugao and Apayao on Wednesday (June 12, 2024). First-time job seekers and fresh graduates are encouraged to avail of free pre-employment documents. (Contributed photo)
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Cordillera Administrative Region is encouraging fresh graduates and first-time job seekers to avail of the free pre-employment documents that government offices provide as they start to join the income-earning sector.
Among the documents that may be obtained for free are National Bureau of Investigation (NBA) clearance and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-certified requirements like birth certificates.
The job seekers must obtain a certification from their respective villages stating that they are fresh graduates or seeking employment for the first time.
“The law provides that first-time job seekers can avail of their documents for free,” Emerito Narag, DOLE Regional Assistant Director, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday. “They can avail of this benefit to cut on cost and ease their burden of spending so much to obtain the needed document before they start to earn a living.”
Narag is referring to Republic Act 11261 or the First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act, which provides for free the issuance of several necessary documents to those applying for a job for the first time.
He said fresh graduates and first-time job seekers may go to the Kalayaan (Freedom) Jobs Fair in different venues in the region on Wednesday -- SM City Baguio, Divine Word College, Bangued, Abra; Flora, Apayao; Lagoon Central School gymnasium, Lagawe, Ifugao.
The job fairs will also have one-stop shop services of the NBI, PSA, Social Security System, Pag-BIG Fund (Home Development Mutual Fund and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.
“They can approach (these agencies) for help,” he said.
Narag said the Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will likewise be on-site to provide alternative options for livelihood and entrepreneurship, aside from upskilling opportunities.
At least 700 vacancies for local and foreign placements will be up for grabs during the Independence Day jobs fair in Baguio City and around 90 slots in the other sites. (PNA)
The Philippine News Agency is a web-based newswire service of the Philippine government under the supervision of the News and Information Bureau (NIB) of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).