The Public Employment Service Office of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur spearheaded the Trabaho Para sa Gabos: One Stop Shop Job and Career Fair on April 30, 2026, at the Fuerte CamSur Sports Complex in Cadlan, Pili, drawing more than 600 applicants in an early celebration of Labor Day.
The event brought together 25 local companies and four overseas employment agencies offering a combined total of 3,038 job vacancies across various industries and skill levels. By the end of the day, 26 applicants had been hired on the spot, while 58 others qualified for final interviews.
Among the hundreds of hopeful applicants was Jerome Balasta, a graduating Entrepreneurship student from the Governor Mariano E. Villafuerte Community College Tinambac, who made the trip to the fair hoping to secure employment ahead of his graduation.
“Dakulang tabang po ang tinao ninda samuyang mga estudyante lalong-lalo na si mga naghahanap trabaho [dahil] trabaho na mismo ang dinara sato – mapapadali nang matupad an pangangaipuhan ming makahanap nin magayong trabaho [para] sa pamilya mi.”
(“This is a big help that they’ve given us students, especially those looking for jobs, because they have brought the jobs straight to us – fulfilling our needs to land a decent job for our families.”)
Balasta applied for several positions at the fair, one overseas as a cook in Brunei and others locally in production, a field in which he developed hands-on experience serving as production manager for a major subject in their Entrepreneurship program. He also noted that a key advantage of the province-organized fair is the assurance that all participating companies are verified, legitimate, and safe.
Complementing the job fair, government agencies were present on-site to provide a full range of public services to the applicants. These included the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Pag-IBIG Fund, National Bureau of Investigation, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Statistics Authority - Civil Registry and PhilSys ID, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Social Security System.
The Department of Migrant Workers conducted a pre-orientation seminar, while the Department of Trade and Industry led a discussion on how to start a business. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, meanwhile, offered national certification training and conducted skills demonstrations on consumer electronics, PV system installation, flower arrangement, and basic life support.
The Provincial Government of Camarines Sur’s Human Resource Management Office attended to assist applicants, the Southeast Asian Institute of Computer Technology offered free TESDA-accredited training and courses, and the Provincial Health Office, likewise, provided free medical services to attendees and facilitated YAKAP registration, particularly valuable for applicants who needed medical certificates as part of their job application requirements.
Another applicant — and among those fortunate enough to be hired on the spot — was John Robert Lechago from Igbac, Buhi.
“Maraming salamat po sa opportunity na binigay niyo sa amin. Dahil sa job fair na ito, naging daan kayo para mabigyan ako ng panibagong trabaho,” thanked Lechago.
(“Thank you very much for this opportunity that you gave us. Because of this job fair, you became instrumental for me to find a new job.”)
Lechago, a 4Ps beneficiary, sees the job fair as another expression of government support. “Malaking bagay po ang pagtulong sa amin ng gobyerno kasi nababawasan po ang gastusin namin at nasusuportahan ang araw-araw naming pangangailangan.”
(“It’s a big thing that the government is helping us because it eases our financial burden and supports our daily needs.”)
Under the leadership of Governor Luis Raymund “Lray” Villafuerte, the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur continues to bring employment opportunities closer to every Camarinense, ensuring that the jobs available are decent, safe, and legitimate to give residents a real chance at improving their lives and those of their families.
