Prospective employees wait for their turn to fill up application forms during the recent “Sulong Buhay Job Fair” that First Philippine Industrial Park held recently in coordination with the local government unit of Santo Tomas City in Batangas. Four Japanese locators in FPIP posted 1,430 job openings during the fair. Handout

MANILA - Four Japanese companies within the Lopez-led First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) economic zone in Batangas are set to hire over 1,400 additional workers. 

The announcement was made during the "Sulong Buhay Job Fair" held on July 18 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) campus in Santo Tomas City. The job fair was a collaborative effort between FPIP, the local government unit (LGU) of Santo Tomas City, and other stakeholders.

John Carlo Navalta, FPIP's external relations manager, said Brother Industries (Philippines) Inc., Canon Business Machines (Philippines), Inc., Ibiden (Philippines) Inc., and Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata, Inc. are the four companies seeking new employees. 

These companies collectively need at least 1,430 workers, with nearly a thousand positions for engineers, accountants, nurses, human resource personnel, and other office-based roles. So far, 457 applicants, mostly fresh or recent PUP graduates, have passed the initial screening and will proceed to further evaluations and interviews. Approximately 1,000 positions remain available.

Santo Tomas Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan highlighted the importance of the job fair in bridging the gap between the demand for workers by local companies and the employment needs of Santo Tomas residents. “This is one way for us to help the locators hire professionals who are home-grown talents in Santo Tomas and the province of Batangas. At the same time, it gives Tomasinos opportunities to get decent and high-quality jobs,” she said.

Vice Mayor Catherine Jaurigue-Perez emphasized the significance of collaboration among local stakeholders, including FPIP, its locators, and PUP, in fostering the city's growth.

Established by Lopez-controlled First Philippine Holdings Corporation in partnership with Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, FPIP is a premier location for global manufacturers and traders. The 520-hectare ecozone, straddling Santo Tomas and Tanauan in Batangas, provides employment to nearly 70,000 Filipinos and generates significant tax revenues for the local government units.

FPIP's creation aligns with the vision of its late Chairman Emeritus Oscar M. Lopez, who aimed to promote national development through industrial growth and job creation.

The four Japanese firms within FPIP specialize in various fields: Brother Industries (Philippines) produces office equipment, Canon Business Machines (Philippines) deals in computer peripherals, Ibiden (Philippines) manufactures semiconductor packages, and Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata Inc. produces electronic components.

FPIP and ABS-CBN Corp are part of the Lopez Group of Companies.

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