In celebration of Labor Day, May 1, the Marikina City local government opened two separate job fairs at the Marikina City Hall and SM Marikina. According to Marikina City Representative Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro, a total of 15 companies took part in the job fair conducted at the quadrangle of the city hall while 35 companies joined the job fair held at SM City Marikina. “Tayo po sa Marikina, gusto po natin hindi lang ang panandaliang ayuda, gusto natin ay pangmatagalang tulong, at itong mga trabahong ibibigay po natin at makukuha po ng ating mga kababayan ay napakalaking bagay para sa kanilang pamilya (We in Marikina aspire to give long term assistance and not just temporary aid to our residents. These jobs that we are giving to Marikeños will be a great help to their families)," Teodoro said. “We started doon sa Marikina City Hall quadrangle. There were a total of 120 applicants there. Akala ko ho ang dami na nun, but when I came to SM Marikina, doble, 300 job applicants (We started at the Marikina City Hall quadrangle. There were a total of 120 applicants there and I thought that was already a big number of job seekers, but when I came to SM Marikina, the number of applicants there reached 300)," she added. The lawmaker explained that the city government conducted simultaneous job fairs as some jobseekers prefer the location of the city hall, which is nearer and more accessible to them. “So we're doing simultaneous kasi alam naming may mga jobseekers na minsan ayaw nang lumabas doon sa vicinity ng kabayanan ng Marikina kaya ang dami pong naroon ngayon -- ‘yung mga malalayo, Fortune, Nangka, Concepcion Dos, minsan kasi mas malapit sa kanila ang city hall (So we're doing simultaneous because we know that some jobseekers may be hesitant to go out outside the vicinity of Marikina. That's why applicants coming from far away barangays such as Fortune, Nangka, and Concepcion Dos went to the city hall because it is much closer to them)," Teodoro explained. A free shuttle service going to the Marikina City Hall and from SM Marikina, and vice versa, was also provided to jobseekers. Meanwhile, Department of Labor and Employment (DILG) Undersecretary Carmela Torres lauded Teodoro for conducting the simultaneous job fairs in the city. “Congresswoman, we commend you for this undertaking. We are here from the Department of Labor and Employment to assist you and to give you kung ano man ang data na kailangan ninyo (We are here from the Department of Labor and Employment to assist you and to give you whatever data you may need)," Torres said. On behalf of her husband, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, the lawmaker thanked all the companies that participated in the simultaneous job fairs. “You have helped us fulfill the dreams of our jobseekers,” she told the companies. “Napakahalaga po ng trabaho sa ngayong panahon. Matapos po ang pandemic marami ho talagang pinagdaanan at pagdadaanan pa ang ating mga kababayan (Having a job is extremely important especially in these trying times. After the pandemic, many of our countrymen have suffered and will suffer still," the lawmaker noted. Around 11 a.m., at least 36 jobseekers were hired on the spot by companies joining the job fair at SM Marikina. Some of the companies that took part in the simultaneous job fairs were Business Process Outsourcing firms (BPOs), banks, transportation companies, food chains, supermarket chains, telecommunications companies, shoe manufacturers, and some government agencies and schools.