To sustain the improved level of well-being among Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) partner-beneficiaries, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7 – Central Visayas conducted the Trabaho sa Bagong Pilipinas, Para sa 4Ps job fair on February 20, 2025, at the Lamberto L. Macias Sports and Cultural Complex in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his cabinet secretaries, including DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and local officials, attended the event.

The Office of the President (OP) initiated the activity and DSWD in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

This job fair supports the more than 2,000 4Ps household beneficiaries from Amlan, Dauin, San Jose, Sibulan, Valencia, Zamboanguita towns, and Dumaguete and Tanjay cities.

These 4Ps households will transition out of the program due to various factors, such as no more monitored children in the family, completion of the 7-year program duration, improved level of well-being, or voluntary exit from the program. The initiative aims to provide employment and livelihood opportunities to help them sustain their progress beyond the 4Ps.

The 4Ps beneficiaries in attendance received food assistance of Php 3,000.00 under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), which will serve as a social safety net while they are still looking for a job.

Through DOLE VII, 15 employers and partner companies joined the activity, offering job vacancies to qualified applicants. The employers were the following: Gasmate – LPG retailer and distributor, Vallacar Transit Inc., 1Prime Retail Corp., Syl Hermanos Trade Center Inc., Vortex BPO, Voldi Larena & Ortiz Corp., Istore Digital Lifestyle Retail, Sans Rival – Food and Beverages, Triple One Human Resource Corp., Nuat Thai Foot and Body Massage, Qualfon BPO, Uy Matiao Construction, Straive BPO, Cebu General Services Inc., and Peak Outsourcing BPO.

During the job fair, 38 beneficiaries got hired on the spot. The DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) immediately assessed them to benefit from the Employment Facilitation (EF) Track. This cash assistance from SLP will help cover their pre-employment requirements such as NBI clearance, Tax Identification Number (TIN), police clearance, medical examinations, and other necessary documents.

“First time nako nga mag-apply as line cook ug nadawat dayun ko. Dako akong pasalamat sa DSWD aning oportunidad ug kini makatabang sa akong pamilya (This is my first time to apply as line cook and I was eventually hired. I am grateful to DSWD for this opportunity and this work will help my family),” said Adrian Espada, a former 4Ps monitored child and currently residing in San Jose, Negros Oriental.

Aside from the 38 hired on the spot, two (2) applicants are waiting for the final job interview, and 69 applicants are waiting for a second job interview, examination, and submission of other needed requirements.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said that the Trabaho sa Bagong Pilipinas, Para sa 4Ps job fair underscores the government’s commitment to empowering 4Ps beneficiaries by providing sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities, guiding them toward self-sufficiency. The President emphasized that the government continuously works with different employers to offer more work and better job opportunities for all Filipino job seekers.

To further assist the 4Ps households, a Caravan of Services was also installed from various national government agencies providing essential services, including the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Pag-IBIG Fund, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Technical Employment and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Social Security System (SSS).

Additionally, DA VII set up the Kadiwa ng Pangulo stores and the DSWD 7 through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), which showcased livelihood products from its various people’s organizations and livelihood associations. Events like this provide program participants with the valuable opportunity to sell their goods and generate income for their families.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the initiative covers across the Philippines. The job fair in Dumaguete City marks the fourth leg of the Trabaho Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, Para sa 4Ps after its inaugural conduct in Pasay City on January 31, followed by the job fair in Iloilo City on February 13 and in Tagum City on February 15. ###

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