Manila: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Thursday once again encouraged young professionals and fresh graduates to be part of the agency's transformation and reform. "There is hope. But there's no hope if people like you don't join us," DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon told students who participated in the DPWH Job Fair held at De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila. "There are a lot of bad breads here, so we have to take them out and replace them with you guys."

According to Philippines News Agency, more than 400 applicants participated in the second DPWH Job Fair, which will continue in various schools and universities nationwide. Last month, hundreds of fresh graduates and students attended the first DPWH Job Fair held in Mapua University in Manila.

The job fair is being conducted upon the order of President R. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to recruit "idealistic" and "dynamic" young professionals to restore public trust in the government. Aside from engineers, the DPWH is also looking for accountants who will audit government projects.

The recruitment of young, idealistic Filipinos is being done in the wake of the massive flood control corruption scandal in the DPWH, involving not only its officials but also politicians and people from the private sector.