A total of 273 applicants were hired on the spot during the two-day job fair held as part of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival October 17-18 at the KCC Mall de Zamboanga.

Of the 273 hired on the spot, 236 are for local employment while 37 are for placement abroad.

Organized by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) under the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the Hermosa Job Fair was participated by 56 recruitment agencies and companies, 35 of which were local employers, 15 overseas agencies and 6 government offices.

The two-day fair served 1,586 job applicants, of which 1,087 were qualified.

A total of 15,554 job vacancies were made available during the fair.

The job fair was held in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Philippine Overseas Employment Service Association (POEA).

The activity also had employment coaching and pre-employment seminars as well as free TESDA services like massage, manicure and pedicure and haircut.

The job fair was one of the programs pursued by the local government under the administration of Mayor Beng Climaco to provide employment to Zamboanguenos and ultimately to bring development and progress in Zamboanga City.  (Sheila Covarrubias)