Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and other Cabinet officials accompanied President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Friday (March 7) as the Chief Executive brought the sixth leg of the ‘Trabaho sa Bagong Pilipinas para sa 4Ps’ job fair in the Province of Camarines Sur.
“Una naming tinitingnan kung ano ang pinakamagandang serbisyo na maibibigay namin sa tao. Sa aming palagay, ito na po ang pinakamahalaga sa bawat isa sa atin; na tayo ay maganda ang ating kalusugan, tayo ay malalakas at wala tayong sakit, mayroon tayong magandang hanap-buhay…sana po ay kayong lahat ay makahanap ng magandang trabaho at maipagpatuloy ninyo ang pagpapaganda ng inyong mga buhay,” the President told the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The \’Trabaho sa Bagong Pilipinas\’ is an initiative led by the DSWD, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and other government agencies.
According to Secretary Gatchalian, the job caravan aims to expand the opportunities for 4Ps grantees so they could have stable employment that will help them achieve self-sufficiency status.
“Bahagi ng whole of government approach o yung buong pinagsanib na pwersa ng pamahaalan para matulungan ang ating mga 4Ps beneficiaries ay yung job fair para mayroong isa sa bawat pamilya ang nagtatrabaho…ang layunin natin dito maiahon ang ating mga kababayan mula sa kahirapan at yung hindi na maisalin pa ang kahirapan sa susunod na henerasyon,” the DSWD chief said in an interview with the local press.
More than 3,000 job seekers attended the employment fair which was participated by 23 employers offering 2,365 employment slots to assist 4Ps grantees attain financial independence.
The jobseekers were also provided with cash assistance of Php3,000 each.
As of press time, a total of 14 beneficiaries were hired-on-the-spot in the DSWD-led job caravan, while 31 are up for initial job interviews.
One of those hired-on-the-spot was Annabel Pante, a college graduate from Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) and a former 4Ps monitored child.
“Maraming salamat po kasi this is my first time na sumali sa job fair and then, na-hired po ako on-the-spot…I will do my best para mapaglingkuran po ang gobyerno,” Annabel said after she was hired by the DSWD Field Office-5 (Bicol Region) as an administrative aide.
Other key government agencies that extended services to the job seekers were the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, Social Security System (SSS), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The job fair also featured the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) that promotes entrepreneurial activities and different local products in the Bicol Region.
The Department of Health (DOH), on the other hand, provided free medical services such as dental care, medical check-ups, ophthalmology services, dermatology services, ENT check-ups and immunization services, among others.
‘Kadiwa ng Pangulo’ stalls were also set up by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to provide affordable basic goods and commodities to the beneficiaries.
Aside from free services, a payout activity for families affected by Tropical Storm Kristine was also simultaneously held at the event where financial assistance worth Php5,000 were given to each beneficiary with partially damaged houses.
The DOLE also distributed cash assistance to beneficiaries under the ‘Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers’ (TUPAD) Program.
Other government officials present at the event were DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz, Camarines Sur Congressman Luis Raymund \”L-Ray\” Villafuerte, Governor Luigi Villafuerte, and DSWD Field Office 5- Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio.
Previous legs of the Trabaho sa Bagong Pilipinas job fairs were held in Pasay City, Iloilo City, Tagum City, Dumaguete City, and Bangued, Abra.(AKDL)