MANILA – At least 1,488 graduating senior high school and Alternative Learning System learners were immediately hired under the nationwide Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF), the Department of Education announced.
The joint initiative of DepEd and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) aims to bridge the gap between graduation and employment, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
During the synchronized implementation, at least 1,188 senior high school Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) graduates and ALS learners secured jobs on the spot, adding to the 300 learners hired during earlier pilot runs in Metro Manila, Sorsogon, Cebu, and Davao del Norte. Around 40 schools across all regions were mobilized as one-stop shops for pre-employment services and job vacancies.
Around 40 percent of qualified jobseekers were hired directly at the fair, DepEd said.
Beyond job placements, at least 5,975 SHS TVL graduates and ALS learners also received free pre-employment documents such as birth certificates and NBI and police clearances to help in their transition from school to work.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the initiative helps ease the financial burden on families by bringing government agencies and employers together in one venue.
“By eliminating the high costs of pre-employment requirements, we empower our graduates to focus on building their careers immediately,” Angara said.
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DOLE Undersecretary Carmela Torres said the partnership with DepEd expands access to jobs for graduates, especially first-time jobseekers.
“Through the BPSF, we are not just offering jobs; we are offering employment pathways,” Torres said.
Among those hired on the spot was Trexie Estayan, a Grade 12 TVL learner from Irosin, Sorsogon, who said the fair made it easier to find work after graduation.
“It is difficult to start after graduation. I do not know where to go or how to begin. But with the Serbisyo Fair, everything is here,” Estayan said. (GOVPH)
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