In celebration of the 121^st Labor Day, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI is already set to implement the three (3) major activities to honor the Filipino workers – the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para sa Manggagawa, the awarding of government assistance to workers, and the conduct of job fairs. This year’s theme, “Pabahay, Bilihing Abot-Presyo, Benepisyo ng Matatag na Trabaho Para sa Manggagawang Pilipino,” focuses on the primary programs and services of the Department to support the Filipino workforce.

DOLE XI will mount Kadiwa Corners to host the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Para sa Manggagawa in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) XI, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) XI, Association of Labor Unions (ALU), and the Public Employment and Services Office (PESO) Davao City. This activity will showcase products of close to 100 beneficiaries of DA, DTI, and DOLE. A Kadiwa Corner will be set up at Rizal Park Davao City on May 1-2, 2023, while the ALU will have the same corner on May 1, 2023 at ALU Hotel, Roxas Avenue, Davao City.

Another major activity is the awarding of financial assistance amounting to a total of around P18M for more than 2,500 beneficiaries across the region under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. Selected DILP beneficiaries of DOLE XI will also be selling their products during the Labor Day celebration at SM City Davao, Ecoland, Davao City.

The highlight of the Labor Day Celebration is the conduct of the annual job fair at SM City Davao. With over 1,800 job vacancies solicited from 38 local employers as of April 24, 2023, DOLE XI targets to record a high number of Hired-on-the-Spot (HOTS) jobseekers. Through the medium of modern technology, this year’s job fair continues to adopt the hybrid approach: pre-registration, screening, and job matching stages shall be conducted online. Walk-in registration during the job fair will also be considered. While the final interview stage will be conducted face-to-face at the venue. Simultaneously, the DOLE-Davao Oriental Field Office in partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental will hold a job fair at the Provincial Capitol. As of April 24, 2023, a total of 24 local and overseas employers will be participating and will offer around 1,500 job vacancies.

Among the top vacancies for the upcoming job fair are sales consultants, tellers, machine operators, and marketing professionals.

During the press conference on April 24, 2023, Regional Director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy encouraged the jobseekers to remain active by researching jobs online and studying about the job trends. While he challenged the employers to carefully plan out their recruitment goal. RD Pensoy also expressed his high hopes to generate a large number of hired jobseekers since Davao Region’s economy is gradually getting back on its feet.

Along with the abovementioned major activities, DOLE XI has also initiated activities in line with the Labor Day celebration. A one-stop-shop will be set up to offer government documentation services, which will be participated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and Philippine Postal Corporation. Meanwhile, the DOLE-Davao de Oro Field Office (DOrFO) will organize the Provincial Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (PTIPC) Labor Day Sportsfest that will commence on April 25, 2023, in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro and will conclude on Labor Day, May 1. The tournament will be participated by members of the PTIPC and DOLE-DOrFO personnel.

To conclude the week-long Labor Day celebration in Davao Region, DOLE XI will hold a Government Internship Program (GIP) fair on May 5, 2023. The fair will serve as a platform to connect government agencies with potential interns. The GIP fair will cater to youth aged 18-30 with no work experience. The fair aims to enhance the talent pool of government agencies that will eventually recruit/hire individuals who have the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to contribute to their operations and programs.### MFKM