BACOLOD: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has announced that at least 9,770 vacancies will be offered in Negros Occidental during the 122nd Labor Day Job Fair at SM City Bacolod. Some 65 companies will offer both local and overseas jobs in this year's employment fair under the theme, 'Sa Bagong Pilipinas: Manggagawang Pilipino, Kabalikat at Kasama sa Pag-asenso'. Carmela Abellar, head of DOLE-Negros Occidental Field Office, encouraged those interested to apply to pre-register for easier and faster entry to the job fair area starting 9 a.m. on Wednesday. 'We invite jobseekers to grab this opportunity to apply for jobs in these agencies,' Abellar said in an interview. Pre-registration can be done online or by scanning the QR (quick response) codes at the job fair site. For local job offerings, the highest number of vacancies are for customer service representative or assistant, housekeeping personnel, promodiser, delivery rider, sales consultant, sales checker, bus driver and steelman. The Ph ilippine Army will also join the job fair to accept applicants for officer candidates. Overseas job vacancies include those for continuing care assistant, office and facility cleaning worker, caregiver, babysitter, packager and painter machine operator. Among the top local industries looking for employees are those involved in business process outsourcing, wholesale/retail, transportation, financial/insurance, construction and manpower services. Abellar said the participating companies or employers have fulfilled the requirements set by the DOLE and have been evaluated to possess valid job orders. 'They are registered. The DOLE ensures that these are not 'fly-by-night' or illegal agencies,' she added. On May 1 and 2, the Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) Center will also open its doors at SM City Bacolod to sell local, fresh and affordable food products of informal workers. The KNP is a market linkage facilitation program that enables farmers to sell directly to consumers, removing market layers to make agri-fish ery products and other basic commodities accessible and affordable, and seeks to establish additional markets for farmers and fisherfolk to increase their income. Source: Philippines News Agency