A total of 303 jobseekers secured employment on-the-spot during the Kalayaan 2025 Job Fair held across Central Luzon in celebration of the 127th Philippine Independence Day.
Organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 3, in collaboration with local government units and private sector partners, the region-wide job fair attracted 3,364 registered applicants at various venues across the region. This year’s on-the-spot hiring rate climbed to 9 percent, an improvement from last year’s 6.75 percent, when 246 out of 3,644 applicants were immediately employed.
DOLE Regional Director Geraldine Panlilio underscored the job fair’s significance in connecting job seekers with employment opportunities, especially amid shifting labor market conditions.
“The primary aim of this event is for our employers to find the best and the brightest for their workforce,” Panlilio said. “We encourage employers to also invest in programs that will help retain talents once hired.”
In Pampanga, the job fair took place at SM Telabastagan in the City of San Fernando, featuring 35 employers — 33 local and two overseas — who collectively offered 6,148 vacancies. Of these, 5,743 were local job openings, while 405 were overseas positions.
Top job openings included production operators, customer service representatives, warehouse crew, food preparers, sales clerks, skilled workers, factory workers, air conditioning technicians, bookkeepers, and baristas.
Among those hired on the spot was Brinz Soliman, who was pleasantly surprised by his early success.
“Well, actually I didn’t expect to be the first one hired-on-the-spot because I arrived late. I wasn’t even aware I’d start right away. I’m so happy about the results,” Soliman said.
Julius Canque, who secured a position as an electrician at Unimax Steel Structure and Construction Corp, also expressed his gratitude:
“Thank you, DOLE Region 3, for organizing this job fair. This will greatly help me save for my children’s needs. I hope DOLE continues this program so more people can find jobs.”
In addition to employment opportunities, the job fair also featured six allied service booths from various government agencies, including the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), to assist job seekers with their documentary requirements.
Panlilio also highlighted the region’s improving labor conditions. Citing the April 2025 Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority, she reported that Central Luzon’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.1 percent from 3.3 percent in April 2024, lower than the national average of 4.1 percent. Underemployment also declined from 9.2 percent to 8.5 percent.
However, she noted a slight decrease in the labor force from 5.76 million in April 2024 to 5.63 million in April 2025, attributed to a drop in labor force participation.
To address continuing employment challenges, Panlilio reiterated DOLE’s commitment to expand livelihood programs, labor education, and youth internship initiatives in partnership with various government and private organizations.
The Kalayaan 2025 Job Fair is part of DOLE’s ongoing efforts to reduce unemployment and provide accessible job opportunities to Filipinos through nationwide labor market interventions.
