Iloilo City reports rise in employment in early 2025

Iloilo City’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) reported promising updates on the labor market for the first three months of 2025.

A total of 7,075 applicants were recorded in the Statistical Performance Reporting System (SPRS) during this period, with January as the highest number at 2,737 applicants. The data showed that 54.7% of the applicants were female, while 45.3% were male. Out of 9,893 job applicants referred, 9,119 applicants (92.18%) successfully secured employment.

PESO also recorded 3,879 applicants in the PESO Employment Information System (PEIS), sourced from six job fairs, 14 local recruitment activities, and seven special recruitment activities. Most applicants were single (3,657), with many falling in the age ranges of 20–24 years (1,419) and 25–34 years (1,381).

The report shows that 2,988 applicants had no prior work experience, while 891 had some experience. Most applicants were college graduates (2,141), with others having various levels of education.

The top in-demand solicited local jobs included customer service representatives, sales associates, and service crew roles. Similarly, local job placements reflected the demand, with customer service representatives, service crew, and bagger positions being the most frequently hired.

On the other hand, hard-to-fill positions included instructors, accountants, drivers, civil engineers, and pharmacists. Meanwhile, a total of 4,137 DOLE TUPAD beneficiaries were recorded during the two work implementations.

Among beneficiaries, 52.5% were women, with the majority aged 25-34 years. Married individuals made up of largest civil status group, totaling 2,274 beneficiaries. (Janelle Marie Belarde/Iloilo City PIO)