Iloilo:A one-day mega job fair in Iloilo on Wednesday presented 8,740 local and overseas employment opportunities to job seekers. The event, titled 'Tara, Trabaho G! Mega Job Fair,' was organized by the Office of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Iloilo Provincial Public Employment Service Office. The fair aimed to help address unemployment in the country, according to Paiqah Gaid, head of constituent services at Gatchalian's office.

According to Philippines News Agency, the job fair was also conducted simultaneously in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan to broaden access to decent and dignified employment opportunities. Gaid mentioned in an interview that this initiative is a continuous program running until the end of the year.

During the opening ceremony, Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias highlighted the provincial government's investment in the Filipino youth, including efforts to tackle stunting and wasting among children under five and addressing learning poverty. He encouraged job seekers by reminding them of their fortunate position, noting that not all of their classmates from Grade 1 were able to graduate from college.

Cynthia Dario, head of the Iloilo Provincial Public Employment Service Office, reported that the province's unemployment rate is currently at 3.49 percent, with an employment rate of 96.51 percent. By 1 p.m. on the day of the job fair, 28 applicants had already been hired on the spot. The event featured 30 employers offering 3,953 local job openings and 4,787 overseas employment opportunities.