ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City turned its 89th Charter Day celebration into a major public-service push, bringing employment opportunities and free healthcare closer to residents instead of focusing solely on ceremonies and festivities.
The August 25 celebration featured a large-scale job fair and free medical and dental services for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), highlighting the city government’s effort to make the month-long Charter Day celebration directly beneficial to residents.
The employment drive proved particularly significant.
According to the Philippine News Agency, the Charter Day job fair generated more than 15,000 local and overseas job opportunities, with about 222 applicants hired on the spot.
Another 2,135 applicants were referred for further interviews, potentially opening the door to additional hires after company screening and final interviews. About 60 percent of applicants reportedly came from outside Iloilo City.
Panay News separately reported that more than 3,700 job seekers had pre-registered for the Charter Day job fair held at Robinsons Place Iloilo-Main.
The recruitment activity was organized by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO)-Iloilo City under the city’s “Trabaho Agad Program,” with around 120 local and overseas recruitment agencies participating.
Jobseekers Get More Than Job Listings
The city also attempted to make the hiring process easier by bringing government agencies together at the job fair.
A one-stop government service area included representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment, Pag-IBIG Fund, PhilHealth, Philippine Statistics Authority, National Bureau of Investigation and Social Security System.
The setup allowed applicants to process or secure several documents commonly required during job applications, including civil registry records, clearances and social security-related requirements.
PESO officials encouraged applicants to explore multiple vacancies and industries rather than limiting their search to one employer.
The city government also said recruitment activities would continue beyond the Charter Day event, including special recruitment sessions at the PESO office and SM City Iloilo.
Free Healthcare Reaches Senior Citizens and PWDs
Employment was only one side of Iloilo City’s Charter Day service drive.
At the M.H. del Pilar Gym in Jaro, the city government conducted an Atipan medical and dental mission serving senior citizens and PWDs.
The Jaro activity initially targeted 150 beneficiaries, with services including medical consultations, laboratory testing, dental check-ups, chest X-rays and other diagnostic procedures.
The medical mission is part of a wider series of district-level healthcare activities scheduled around the Charter Day celebration.
SunStar Iloilo reported that the medical and dental missions were designed to reach more than 500 beneficiaries across five districts from August 24 to 28, with activities also scheduled in Molo, La Paz, Lapuz and Mandurriao.
The scheduled rollout included 100 beneficiaries in Molo on August 24, 150 in Jaro on August 25, 100 in La Paz on August 26, 100 in Lapuz on August 27 and another 100 in Mandurriao on August 28.
Healthcare Push Extends Beyond Charter Day
The city’s healthcare initiatives also include the MediSen+ Program, which was launched earlier in August to provide free maintenance medicines for registered senior citizens and PWDs with hypertension and diabetes.
The Philippine Information Agency reported that the city allocated ₱20 million for the program, which is expected to benefit around 40,000 senior citizens and 6,766 registered PWDs in Iloilo City.
The program is being implemented by the City Health Office in partnership with the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs and the Persons with Disability Affairs Office.
Together, the medical missions and MediSen+ initiative broaden the Charter Day celebration beyond entertainment and recognition ceremonies, placing employment assistance and basic healthcare at the center of the city’s public-service agenda.
A Charter Day Focused on Residents
Iloilo City’s 89th Charter Day carried the theme “Celebrating 89 Years of Progress Toward a Better Iloilo City for All.”
The month-long celebration included government services, livelihood activities, cultural programs, sports events and community initiatives.
The Philippine Information Agency reported that activities included civil registry services, employment assistance, medical and dental missions, family wellness activities, entrepreneurship initiatives and cultural programs.
For many residents, however, the most immediate benefits came in the form of a potential job, a government document processed closer to home or healthcare received without the usual financial burden.
With thousands of job opportunities presented and hundreds of applicants already hired on the spot, Iloilo City’s 89th Charter Day became more than a commemoration of the city’s history—it became a practical push to connect residents with work, government services and healthcare.
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