ILOILO City – This city is emerging as a regional employment leader, posting a 92.18% job placement rate in the first quarter of 2025, according to data from the city government’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
From January to March, 9,119 out of 9,893 jobseekers referred by PESO successfully landed jobs, reflecting the city’s improved job facilitation efforts and active labor market.
The surge in placements is credited to aggressive recruitment activities, including six job fairs, 14 local recruitment events, and seven special hiring programs conducted across the city.
“This is a strong indication of Iloilo City’s dynamic employment landscape and our commitment to connecting jobseekers to real opportunities,” PESO stated.
The PESO Statistical Performance Reporting System (SPRS) recorded 7,075 job applicants during the period, with January seeing the highest influx at 2,737. Women made up the majority of applicants at 54.7%, while men accounted for 45.3%.
Most of the applicants were young, single individuals aged 20 to 34 years. Despite 2,988 of them having no prior work experience, a notable 2,141 were college graduates — a sign of a highly trainable and educated talent pool.
Popular job placements included customer service representatives, sales associates, and service crew. However, filling roles for professionals such as instructors, accountants, civil engineers, drivers, and pharmacists proved more challenging, suggesting a shortage in specialized skills.
In addition to formal employment gains, the Department of Labor and Employment’s TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) program provided short-term work to 4,137 beneficiaries, mostly women aged 25 to 34. Of this group, 2,274 were married — indicating the program’s reach to working-class family breadwinners.
With its high placement rate and inclusive employment programs, Iloilo City is strengthening its position as a prime employment hub in Western Visayas, providing both immediate job opportunities and long-term economic potential./PN
