CITING its effectiveness in giving employment opportunities for job seekers, the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) is looking to organize more job fairs across the country this year.
In a radio interview, BLE Director Patrick Patriwirawan said they are set to hold more job fairs to further improve public access to job vacancies.
“They have been proven effective in ensuring access to employment opportunities. Thus, we will continue holding job fairs this year,” said Patriwirawan.
Proof of this, he said, is the improved number of employed and unemployed Filipinos last year.
The country’s unemployment rate in December 2024 eased to 3.1 percent (1.63 million) from 3.2% (1.66 million) the previous month, government data showed. The employment rate was estimated at 96.9% (50.19 million), slightly up from 96.8% (49.54 million) in November 2024.
“It proves that the strategies and programs and services we focused on last year became effective in giving access to employment opportunities,” said Patriwirawan.
Even during times without scheduled job fairs, he said the BLE will still assist job seekers through the Public Employment Service Office (PESOs) based in local government units.
“After job fair activities, our PESOs remain available to the public,” said Patriwirawan.
In 2024 alone, the BLE conducted 1,800 job fairs across the country with 65,000 being hired-on-the-spot.
