AS the country celebrates Labor Day today, the government rolls out various programs for the people. One of them is the free ride on the LRT Line 2 today only. Public and private workers need to present their company ID or government-issued ID from 7:00-9:00 a.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Aside from the free rides, there will be job fairs today in 43 different venues across the nation. According to reports, there will be an initial 73,779 job vacancies being offered by 808 employers. And this number is still expected to increase in the next few days. The main job fair site is happening at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. There are other sites in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Jobseekers must bring their resumé or CV, certificate of employment (if applicable), diploma, and transcript of records. Among the top industries participating in the job fairs are Business Process Outsourcing companies, manufacturers, finance and insurance organizations, manpower services, and sales and marketing groups. The top vacancies are for customer service representatives, production workers/operators, financial consultants, service crew, and sales agents or sales clerks.
This year’s observance is the 121st celebration of Labor Day in the country. The theme this year is, “Pabahay, Bilihing Abot-presyo, Benepisyo ng Matatag na Trabaho Para sa Manggagawang Pilipino.” The government will be distributing P1.8 billion worth of assistance under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program, DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) or Kabuhayan Program, DOLE-Government Internship Program (GIP), and the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).
And finally, the Department of Labor and Employment has put up 27 Kadiwa ng Pangulo para sa Manggagawa outlets in various sites nationwide. Kadiwa enables the farming community to sell goods directly to consumers without the trader-intermediaries, allowing them to reap higher profits while still offering quality products at an affordable price to consumers. On Labor Day, Filipino workers can buy products from 606 enterprises and 1,223 sellers. The Kadiwa ng Pangulo project is a partnership among the Office of the President, Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and different local government units.
The DOLE would like workers to know that they are reachable, so if workers have concerns, they can reach the labor department via the DOLE Hotline 1349. Action Officers are ready to help 24-7. Workers may also call 0961-595-8439 from Monday to Friday during office hours, or send a direct message via DOLE’s official Facebook page, or via e-mail through hotline1349@dole.gov.ph