At least 60 jobseekers were hired on the spot (HOTS) during the Labor Day job fair held at the KCC Mall de Zamboanga on Monday.

Karen Grafia, Department of Labor and Employment – Zamboanga Peninsula (DOLE-9) information officer, said Tuesday that those hired on the spot represent 13 percent of the total number of applicants who joined the job fair.

Grafia said 11 were nurses hired by the oldest private hospital operating in the city.

“All the HOTS are for local employment,” she added. The other HOTS included health workers such as medical technologists, nursing aides, pharmacists, laboratory clerks, and others,” she said.

Thirty-six other jobseekers still need to undergo further interviews and were made to submit additional documentary requirements for employment.

Albert Gutib, DOLE-9 director, was elated to note that the 11 nurses opted to be employed locally, instead of seeking employment abroad.

The Labor Day job fair was participated by 34 employers, four of which are overseas placement agencies.

Meanwhile, Gutib said they have signed a memorandum of agreement with the city government for the implementation of the JobStart Philippines program of DOLE here.

Gutib said the program is intended to cater to out-of-school youths by providing them with skills training.

JobStart enhances the employability of youth by reducing their job-search period and increasing their employability through training, paid internships, and full-cycle employment facilitation services. (PNA)