Over 2,000 job fairs launched in 2025

THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said it has expanded its employment facilitation activities in 2025, rolling out job fairs, youth-focused employment programs, and industry partnerships amid a recovering labor market.

According to its accomplishment report as of November, the department conducted 2,176 job fairs nationwide as part of the government’s commitment to hold monthly employment events. These job fairs were attended by 529,158 job seekers, with 74,564 applicants reported as hired on the spot.

Under the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), DoLE recorded 151,316 student beneficiaries who collectively received more than P686 million in wages. Meanwhile, 76,491 participants under the Government Internship Program (GIP) received over P2.66 billion in stipends. The JobStart Philippines program covered 4,873 beneficiaries, with assistance totaling more than P101 million. These programs are youth employment bridging initiatives that provide students and young graduates with paid work experience.

DoLE reported that over 616,000 workers were displaced across 19,091 establishments between January and November. Total employment rose to 48.619 million in October 2025, an increase of 463,000 from the previous year, which the department attributed in part to job matching and placement efforts carried out through Public Employment Services Offices (PESOs) with support from private sector employers.

As of the latest data, more than 2.2 million job seekers have been referred to PESOs nationwide for possible placement, said DoLE. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking