DICT’s digital job fair offers opportunities for Bicol workers
By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) hosted its Trabahong Digital Job Fair (TDJF) in the Bicol region from August 13 to 14 at Robinsons Naga, marking the program’s second nationwide event.
The job fair featured 22 local employers and five start-ups, offering approximately 1,200 job vacancies. It attracted a diverse crowd of jobseekers, career changers, freelancers, students, and entrepreneurs seeking opportunities in digital and digitally enabled roles.
Among those seeking employment was 23-year-old Pamelo Mae Cado from Barangay Sta. Cruz, Naga City.
After graduating this year with a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from Naga College Foundation, Inc., she had been job hunting for two months.
With her resume and other documents ready, she attended the job fair, hoping that one of the participating companies would give her a chance.
“Sana po nag-a-accept po sinda ng fresh graduate. So malaking tulong po ito sa akin at sa pamilya ko po,” Cado said.
(I hope they will consider fresh graduates. This is a great help to my family and me.)
For Cado, the job fair was more than just an opportunity to submit a resume. It provided a chance to explore digital jobs, including positions that allow employees to work from home.
She expressed her gratitude to the national government and the DICT for giving job seekers like her access to employers in the digital industry.
But digital opportunities are not limited to graduates from information technology programs.
Christian Amaro, a 23-year-old from Barangay Mabolo in Naga City, attended the job fair despite holding a degree outside the digital field.
He graduated from Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology (BISCAST) with a degree in education, majoring in English.
With solid computer skills and a willingness to change careers, he was hopeful of finding a job where he could utilize his digital abilities and forge a new path.
For experienced workers, the job fair also presented new possibilities.
Efren Ramallosa, 55, has worked as a driver for various agencies since 1991. He shared that he faced challenges in some of his previous roles, particularly concerning employee benefits and incentives.
Through the job fair, Ramallosa aimed to find an employer who would value his experience and offer him a chance at more stable employment.
During the event’s launch, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda noted that approximately 1.8 million Filipinos have received training in digital literacy and artificial intelligence readiness.
Aguda emphasized that proper training in AI and digital skills could open up greater job opportunities for Filipinos and potentially lead to higher incomes.
Rather than seeing artificial intelligence as a threat to employment, Aguda urged workers and industries to adapt and continuously enhance their skills as technology evolves.
“Yung BPO industry, around mga two million ang nagtatrabaho diyan ta’s dumating ‘yung AI. Sabi ni Presidente, tulungan natin ‘yung industry para ‘yung trabaho hindi mawala because of AI,” Aguda said.
(Around two million people work in the BPO industry, and then AI arrived. President [Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ] said we should help the industry so that jobs will not be lost because of AI.)
Aguda noted that instead of losing jobs, the BPO sector has experienced growth, with an increase of around 80,000 jobs expected by the end of 2025, along with another 80,000 jobs projected for this year.
In Bicol, the demand for digital and digitally-enabled workers is also anticipated to rise.
DICT Regional Director Christian Roy Melad reported that Camarines Sur had about 30,000 digital and digitally-enabled jobs in 2025, with an additional 6,000 jobs expected this year.
Melad said that digitally-enabled jobs are not confined to information technology roles. They also encompass positions that utilize digital devices and technologies, such as computers and mobile phones.
He encouraged job seekers to take advantage of the programs offered by DICT, including free digital skills training, to enhance their digital competencies and become more competitive in the labor market.
“Hinihikayat namin lahat ng job seekers natin na suportahan natin itong programa ng DICT kasi makakatulong ito hindi lang sa pamilya natin pero sa buong community,” Melad said.
(We encourage all job seekers to support DICT’s program because it will not only help our families but also the entire community.) (Nicole Frilles contributed to this article/PIA Bicol)
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