The Department of Migrant Workers in Central Visayas (DMW-7) announced on Sunday that the recent overseas job fairs in Bantayan and Camotes islands successfully connected local applicants with employment opportunities abroad.

In Madridejos, Bantayan Island, Cebu, nine applicants were hired on the spot during the job fair. These workers will head to Japan, where they’ll fill roles as machine operators, construction workers, hospitality staff, and farmers.

Meanwhile, on Camotes Island, DMW-7 conducted interviews for seasonal workers bound for South Korea. Forty-six applicants were interviewed over the weekend — 20 from San Francisco town and 26 from Tudela town.

“Some of the workers will be sea-based, while others will work on land,” explained DMW-7 Regional Director Maria Eloida O. Cantona. She added that these seasonal workers will be employed in seaweed farms and factories.

The interviews aim to assess the workers’ skills and ensure their jobs in the host country align with their contracts — a vital step in safeguarding their protection and welfare, as mandated by the DMW.

This effort falls under the Seasonal Work Program (SWP), a government partnership between the Philippines and South Korea, coordinated through local government units (LGUs) where the workers originate.

Under the SWP, LGUs are responsible for ensuring that existing agreements include provisions for monitoring worker status, handling grievances and preventing illegal or unauthorized fees from being collected in either country. LGUs must also ensure that workers can personally appear at the nearest DMW Regional Office if requested.

After completing the mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar and receiving their Special Exit Clearance, the workers are expected to depart for South Korea within the month. They will work there for six months under the SWP.