By Jeric A. Jornadal
Ceremonial MOA Signing, from the right sitting (Rev. Dr. Ernest Howard B. Dagohoy, Ms. Lucy Muralla, Company Representative, Ms. Rouella Cheyenne C. Aberia; standing from the right Dr. Cynthia P. Dario and Mr. Gabriel Felix M. Umadhay)
The Central Philippine University (CPU) Alumni Promenade Concert Park was filled with opportunity and optimism as hundreds of jobseekers gathered for JobFair@Central 2025: The CPU Annual Campus Job Fair on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 3pm-7pm.
Organized by the CPU Job Placement Office in partnership with the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Iloilo City and Provincial Government, and in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region VI, the event proved to be a significant success, reinforcing the critical role of collaborative efforts in boosting local employment.
A total of 30 companies from various sectors joined the fair, offering a wide range of job vacancies to aspiring applicants. Throughout the day, 334 jobseekers were interviewed on-site. Of these, 145 were qualified for immediate employment, while 200 were endorsed for further interviews, underscoring the fair’s effectiveness in bridging job opportunities with qualified candidates.
In attendance were Rev. Dr. Ernest Howard B. Dagohoy, President of Central Philippine University; Ms. Lucy Muralla of DOLE Region VI; Dr. Cynthia P. Dario, PESO Manager of PESO-IPG; and Mr. Gabriel Felix M. Umadhay, PESO Manager of Iloilo City. Each expressed strong words of support for the university’s continuing commitment to workforce development and community upliftment.
The event also highlighted a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing ceremony, aimed at deepening industry and academe partnerships to ensure sustained employment initiatives. This was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, symbolizing the official launch of the job fair.
With the success of this year’s job fair, CPU and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to creating meaningful employment pathways for graduates and local jobseekers. The initiative not only advances Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, by generating inclusive and productive employment, but also exemplifies Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through strengthened collaboration between academic institutions, government agencies, and private sector stakeholders.