MANILA – The government’s nationwide Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) has provided immediate employment to 1,488 graduating Senior High School (SHS) and Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Friday.
The job placements were facilitated through a joint effort of DepEd and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which organized employment assistance activities in about 40 schools across different regions.
The initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s goal of ensuring a smoother transition from school to work by bringing government services and potential employers directly to graduating students.
Of the total hires, 1,188 SHS Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) and ALS graduates obtained jobs during the synchronized rollout last Wednesday. These figures add to 300 hires recorded in earlier pilot events in Metro Manila, Sorsogon, Cebu and Davao del Norte.
Data showed that around 40 percent of jobseekers who qualified during the fair were hired immediately.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the program helps families by making employment services and government requirements more accessible to young jobseekers.
“By bringing employers and government services together in one place, we reduce the financial burden on families and help graduates begin their careers sooner,” Angara said.
DOLE Undersecretary Carmela Torres noted that the collaboration ensures wider employment access for young Filipinos entering the workforce.
“The government is committed to assisting our youth as they start their professional journeys. The BPSF does not only offer job openings but also creates clear pathways to employment,” Torres said.
In addition to job matching, 5,975 graduates were able to obtain free documents required for employment, including birth certificates and clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.
The initiative is aligned with the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (Republic Act 11261), which grants first-time job applicants free access to essential government documents.
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