DOLE Job Fair for POGO workers set in October

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Philippines will hold a job fair next month to assist workers displaced by the closure of internet gaming licensees (IGL), formerly known as Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).

Scheduled for October 10th in Parañaque City, the special job fair aims to provide new employment opportunities for those affected by these closures.

At the “Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas” forum, DOLE-National Capital Region Assistant Director Jude Thomas Trayvilla revealed that more than 19,000 workers will likely lose their jobs this year due to the shutdown of various IGL.

“As of September 16th, 48 IGL have already submitted a list of Filipino employees impacted by their closures. A total of 19,341 workers, mostly earning between PHP16,000 to PHP22,000, face displacement,” Trayvilla reported, noting that most of these employees hold positions in administration, encoding, human resources, liaison, finance, and information technology.

Trayvilla added that DOLE-NCR is actively following up with the remaining establishments to acquire their employee lists as soon as possible. “We are continuously coordinating with these establishments to obtain the necessary lists at the earliest opportunity,” he said.

DOLE-NCR Assistant Director Olivia Obrero-Samson announced that about 70 employers are expected to participate in the job fair at Ayala Malls Manila Bay on Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard. The event, organized in collaboration with the Public Employment Services Office (PESO), aims to match displaced workers with new job prospects.

This job fair follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to POGO companies to cease operations by the end of 2024. The government is working to lessen the impact on Filipino workers by helping them transition into new industries.

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