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Job seekers flock to the mega job fair for displaced (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) POGO and (Internet Gaming Licensed) IGL workers at the Ayala Malls activity center at the circuit in Ayala in Makati City on October 10, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div> <span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173200456736220241010-dole-mega-job-fair-JC5662.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Job seekers flock to the mega job fair for displaced (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) POGO and (Internet Gaming Licensed) IGL workers at the Ayala Malls activity center at the circuit in Ayala in Makati City on October 10, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — From just over 3,000 jobs about 4 days ago, the number of local job vacancies being offered at the 2-day Project DAPAT (DOLE Action Plan and Transition Project) Job Fair in Pasay City has jumped to 12,378 after the number of participating employers also increased from an initial 16 to the current 790.  </p><p>The 2-day job fair, which started on November 19, Tuesday, is the fourth of a series of government initiatives intended to assist displaced POGO workers in finding new employment following the ban ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/8/marcos-issues-eo-officially-banning-pogos-1601">• Marcos issues EO officially banning POGOs</a></div><p>Under Marcos’ Executive Order 74 signed November 5, all POGOs and IGLs must fully cease operations by December 31, 2024, or earlier.</p><p>It appears, however, that some POGOs and IGLs opted for the latter, with some ending operations as early as September. </p><p>“Kasi simula po nag-declare po si President, kala ko aabot pa po kami hanggang December. Eh iniisip ko may panghanda pa sa Pasko, Bagong Taon. Eh nabigla nung September po,” said applicant Mark Glen Lacdao, who worked for two years as a data analyst in an IGL based in Makati.</p><p>“Two months po akong wala pong work ngayon and wala pong stable na job. Eh nagpaano po si, ito po, yung Project DAPAT po na job fair, marami pong employers na hiring and marami ding pagpipilian,” said another applicant and ex-IGL worker Molly Gaspar.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/11/marcos-jr-on-pogo-ban-eo-is-sufficient-022">• Marcos Jr. on POGO ban: ‘EO is sufficient’</a></div><p>Top vacancies being offered at the Project DAPAT job fair include customer service, collections and healthcare representatives, electricians, delivery and project helpers, sales associates and staff, cashiers, service crew and drivers. </p><p>There are also over 2,000 overseas job vacancies.</p><p>The good news is that most ex-POGO/IGL workers are highly employable. </p><p>According to DOLE-Bureau of Local Employment director Patrick Patriwirawan, the workers have a 52 percent placement rate, based on previous Project DAPAT job fairs.</p><p>“Even though may sinasabi tayong mga stigma because they are from the IGL/POGO workers, there are employers who are very much willing, who are looking for the right talent or to absorb these workers from the POGO industry…Of course, at the end of the day, ang hinahanap natin ay skill, competency, and they have that, they have the experience. They would just have to transfer from one industry to another industry,” said Patriwirawan. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/15/more-than-100-smaller-illegal-pogo-units-operating-in-ph-paocc-1406">• More than 100 smaller illegal POGO units operating in PH: PAOCC</a></div><p>Seven applicants were already hired-on-the-spot before lunchtime. One of them is ex-IGL worker Marian dela Peña who also said she respects the government’s decision to ban all POGOs and IGLs despite the impact on her employment.</p><p>“Medyo pressured po ako as panganay eh so kaya I want to ano po…naiyak naman ako, sorry. Kasi po bigla po kaming mawawalan ng work tapos syempre inaasahan din ako ng pamilya ko po. Kaya thankful po ako na before Christmas meron na po ako agad work…I think that’s the right thing to do rin naman po since, nalaman ko po kasi yung nangyari dun sa issues ng POGO, about kay Alice Guo,” Dela Peña said.</p><p>The DOLE profiled around 27,000 POGO/IGL workers. But the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) reported that there could be more.</p><p>“Yung reports po ng PAGCOR is up to 40,000. So there is still around 10,000 pa po, maybe 20,000 that we really need to cover or we need to see ano yung mga skills or competencies nila…If nakita natin na kakailanganin pa rin ng additional job fair activities, with the instruction of the Secretary, we will of course plan for the next few weeks until we see the closure po of this industry,” said Patriwirawan.</p><p>The DOLE also reminds jobseekers that even after the job fair is through, all job vacancies can still be accessed through either the government’s online job portal Philjobnet or the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) located all over the country, in every city and municipality.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yLysI1ZeCP8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The 2-day job fair is the fourth of a series of government initiatives intended to assist displaced POGO workers in finding new employment</p>

The 2-day job fair is the fourth of a series of government initiatives intended to assist displaced POGO workers in finding new employment

Over 12,000 jobs up for grabs in latest job fair for ex-POGO workers

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Over 12,000 jobs up for grabs in latest job fair for ex-POGO workers

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 19, 2024 06:58 PM PHT

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