Senior High School (SHS) graduates were given priority access to employers at Labor Day job fairs nationwide on May 1, through a dedicated “Green Lane” set up by the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The initiative allowed SHS graduates to skip long queues and proceed directly to participating employers, as part of efforts to ease school-to-work transition.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the program, aimed to bring government services and job opportunities closer to young job seekers.

“Sa pamamagitan ng Green Lane at pag-alis ng bayad sa dokumento, binabawasan natin ang pasanin ng mga magulang at binibigyan ang mga graduates ng pagkakataong agad na makatulong sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan (Through the Green Lane and the removal of fees for documents, we are reducing the burden on parents and giving graduates the opportunity to immediately help their households),” Angara said.

DOLE said the job fairs were held in about 70 locations nationwide, mostly in malls, offering more than 230,000 vacancies.

To access the Green Lane, applicants were asked to present valid credentials such as a school ID or proof of graduation.

Government data showed that during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair in March, more than 1,400 SHS and Alternative Learning System graduates were hired on the spot.

Around 40 schools were also used as one-stop hubs for employment and related services.

Authorities said over 5,900 applicants were also provided free pre-employment documents, including birth certificates and clearance requirements, to reduce application costs.

The program complements the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act, which waives certain government fees for first-time job applicants.