Hope in Hiring: Nearly 1,000 Job Seekers Attend Philippine Labor Day Fair

CEBU CITY, Philippines — On Labor Day 2025, the atmosphere was charged with a blend of optimism, anxiety, and the quiet murmur of countless aspirations coming alive.

The applicants stood in line, holding onto brown envelopes. Some had them perfectly arranged, while others appeared frayed from months of constant carrying.

The gentle shuffling of feet, sporadic laughter, and whispered prayers before interviews created a scene more impactful than any official press conference or governmental data could convey.

In the midst of the gathering stood 19-year-old Jireh Christine Yuson from Medellin, full of wonder and optimism as she embarked on her initial job search journey. Armed with refined documents and well-practiced responses, she found herself unprepared for the instant when the phrase “hired immediately” echoed through the room.


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“Mixed emotion jud (Mixed emotions really),” she said. “Abi nimog dili ka madawat, pero naa jud diay modawat nimo (I thought that I would not be hired, but there are really those who would hire me).”

Close by was Mevelyn Sollano, aged 24, hailing from San Roque in Talisay. This marked her second try at finding employment, yet it proved just as nerve-wracking as the initial one.

Mura lang gyud ko nagbulag sa gigong kitaa (I’m just a bit anxious about this small thing),” she expressed. “Apan pag-ando ra ko nga unsa na mahimong makaayo para mabuhaton ako (But I’m also praying that things work out so I can get the job).

She was offered a position in housekeeping, though the job would not begin until September. Still, the promise of employment brought a soft relief.

“Antos lang kog gamay (I will only have to bear with it for a short time),” she said additionally.

Mevelyn had found the job posting while scrolling through Facebook.

“Wala nakoy trabaho ba (I have no more work),” she said. “Mao to pag-scroll scroll nako, nang-hire ang SM… mao to mianhi ko (That is why when I scrolled that SM was hiring…that is why I came here).”

They were just two among 508 job seekers who registered at the SM Seaside job fair on May 1.


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In the three job fair locations in Central Visayas—namely Dumaguete City, Bohol, and Cebu—an aggregate of 939 people attended seeking employment opportunities. These attendees were almost evenly divided between males (439) and females (500).

By 5:00 p.m., the DOLE-7 office reported that they had placed 259 people into jobs immediately. Of these, SM Seaside was responsible for hiring about half, with 130 individuals being part of their On-the-Spot Hiring program.

The job fair buzzed with energy. stalls filled the hallway, manned by recruiters ranging from fields like household maintenance and hotels to business process outsourcing companies and shopping outlets.


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Lawyer Roy Buenafe, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Central Visayas, in a press briefing ahead of the event, noted over 3,000 local job vacancies from 41 participating employers.

And while the BPO industry still leads in hiring demand, Buenafe acknowledged a shift in the workforce landscape.

“Medyo duna na pud tay challenge sa skills… That is why we call on TESDA and the academe nga atong pahimuslan ang retooling and upskilling intervention,” he said.

(We had a bit of challenge in skills…That is why we call on Tesda and the academe that we avail of retooling and upskilling intervention.)

The government’s initiative towards environmentally friendly, digital, and caregiving economies is gradually gaining momentum.

Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma from DOLE once highlighted the importance of looking into employment opportunities beyond traditional fields, particularly towards healthcare, information technology, and eco-friendly sectors.

To simplify things, DOLE’s one-stop shop provided on-site assistance from various government bodies such as SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, NBI, and PSA, which was a godsend for job hunters frequently weighed down by the red tape associated with meeting pre-employment prerequisites.

Mahalaga ang ilang mga panginahanglan ng kanila,” si Buenafe, “upang di sila maging luslob-luslob at umuubos ng lakas habang hinahanap nila ang mga papel (to ensure the applicants do not get lost and wear themselves out searching for papers).

However, for many individuals, the figures were insignificant compared to the personal challenges they conquered simply to make an appearance: the final coins used for jeepney fares, the quick printing of résumés, and the self-doubt subdued solely by the pressing necessity to support their families.

In a time when job security still feels elusive and underemployment is all too common, Labor Day became a celebration of resilience and of those brave enough to keep trying.