SM Job Fair, CSC bring government careers and essential services closer to Filipinos nationwide

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE. Jobseekers gather at SM City North EDSA to explore careers across national government agencies, LGUs, and partner institutions.

For Filipinos looking to build a career in public service, the opportunity to serve—and the government services needed to get there—came closer to home this September. SM Supermalls and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) joined forces for Trabaho at Serbisyo Hatid sa Bayan 2026, bringing government career opportunities and frontline services to SM malls nationwide in celebration of the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA).

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC SERVANTS. Participating agencies meet diverse Filipino talent ready to bring their skills and purpose into government service.

Under the subtheme “Dangal sa Tungkulin,” the initiative culminated in a flagship event at SM City North EDSA on September 16, alongside runs in participating SM malls across the country. More than a traditional government job fair, Trabaho at Serbisyo created a one-stop destination where Filipinos could explore public-sector careers, connect directly with government institutions, and access essential public services.

PUBLIC SERVICE CAREERS WITHIN REACH

At SM City North EDSA, fresh graduates, career shifters, and experienced professionals explored vacancies across 18 national government agencies, local government units, and partner institutions. About 490 jobseekers engaged directly with hiring agencies, submitted applications, underwent preliminary screening, and verified qualifications for available positions. 

PUBLIC SERVICE, CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE. SM Supermalls and the Civil Service Commission bring government careers and essential services closer to Filipinos through Trabaho at Serbisyo Hatid sa Bayan 2026.

But beyond filling vacancies, the event underscored what a career in government ultimately represents: public service.

For Atty. Daisy Punzalan Bragais, Regional Director for NCR of the Civil Service Commission, seeing Filipinos interested in joining government was encouraging—but she stressed that public service must be driven by more than employment. “Masaya at nakaka-proud na marami talagang gustong pumasok sa gobyerno at sana nga hindi lang ito ’yung dahil makakasweldo sila, kung hindi dapat mayroon silang puso sa paglilingkod. Dapat nandiyan ’yung dangal at ’yung galing.”

That message resonated with Jaztin Salamera, a job applicant from Sampaloc, Manila, who came to the fair hoping to build a career in government.

“Gusto ko po maging part ng gobyerno bilang isa sa mga kabataan na makaka-contribute bilang employee po. Para sa akin po pag sa gobyerno po magtatrabaho, kailangan po may heart for service. Bonus na lang po ’yung magandang benefits from working sa government.” 

Together, their perspectives capture both sides of the public-service journey: government looking for people with the heart to serve, and a new generation of Filipinos looking for meaningful ways to contribute.

FROM APPLICATION TO POSSIBILITY. Applicants submit requirements and undergo screening for available government positions—all in one accessible venue.

CONNECTING GOVERNMENT WITH QUALIFIED TALENT

For participating agencies, bringing recruitment closer to communities also creates opportunities to meet candidates they may not otherwise reach.

Representatives from UP Diliman said their experience with job fairs has demonstrated the quality of talent available. At the SM City North EDSA event, they had already identified an applicant who qualified for referral to the university’s Engineering Department for further processing. They also recalled an earlier job fair where UP found a candidate for a difficult-to-fill shipmaster position in Bolinao, Pangasinan. “We had a vacancy for a shipmaster for quite a time and only found one sa job fair... he ended up retiring with UP.” It is a simple story, but one that demonstrates the longer-term value of bringing employers and applicants face-to-face: a chance encounter at a job fair can become an entire career.

The Bureau of Corrections likewise saw strong applicant interest across both its uniformed and non-uniformed vacancies. “Marami pong gustong mag-apply... We offer both uniformed and non-uniformed personnel job vacancies... Sobrang sarap po ng pakiramdam na nakakatulong makahanap ng trabaho,” said Angeli Ramos, Administrative Officer of the Bureau of Corrections.

FROM TRABAHO TO SERBISYO

The initiative did not stop at recruitment. Frontline government services were made available alongside employment services, enabling citizens to process selected documents, update records, and complete other client-facing transactions in the same venue. This dual approach reflects the evolution of the traditional government job fair into Trabaho at Serbisyo Hatid sa Bayan—bringing together what citizens need to pursue employment and access government services more conveniently.

WHERE TALENT MEETS PUBLIC SERVICE. Jobseekers connect face-to-face with government recruiters, bringing them one step closer to careers that can make a difference.

For SM, opening its malls to initiatives such as Trabaho at Serbisyo demonstrates how accessible private-sector spaces can support public-sector goals—bringing government, opportunities, services, and communities together under one roof.

MORE CAREER OPTIONS ACROSS SECTORS

While Trabaho at Serbisyo opened doors specifically to public-sector careers, the wider SM Job Fair program connects Filipinos with employment opportunities across government and private industry.

Since November 2023, SM has hosted more than 500 Job Fairs, connecting over 345,000 jobseekers with employers and helping more than 44,000 Filipinos get hired on the spot. Most recently, the SM Group Job Fair at SM City Manila on September 3 connected applicants with opportunities in retail, tourism, banking, education, and other sectors.

Together, these initiatives widen the choices available to Filipino jobseekers—whether they want to serve in government, join the private sector, shift industries, or begin their first career.

MORE SM JOB FAIRS THIS SEPTEMBER

The nationwide employment drive continues throughout the month:

•         September 22–23 – SM Seaside City Cebu
•         September 23 – SM City Calamba
•         September 23 – SM Center Las Piñas
•         September 24 – SM Center Pulilan
•         September 24 – SM City Bacoor
•         September 25 – SM City Manila
•         September 28 – SM City Caloocan
•         September 30 – Basketball Court, Brgy. Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa, Laguna (for SM Nuvali)

*Schedules may be subject to change.

MORE THAN FINDING A JOB

SM’s employment advocacy increasingly supports more of the career journey. Alongside nationwide SM Job Fairs, free upskilling sessions help Filipinos build capabilities for an evolving workplace, while SM Government Service Express (GSE) in select malls makes essential government services easier for communities to access.

Together with government, industry, and community partners, these initiatives demonstrate how accessible spaces can help connect Filipinos with the jobs, skills, and services they need to move forward.

Because a job fair can accomplish more than filling vacancies. It can begin a career, strengthen a family’s livelihood, bring new talent into public service—and give more Filipinos a meaningful way to contribute to nation-building.

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About SM Supermalls – Job Fairs

SM Supermalls is one of Southeast Asia's largest mall developers and operators, with 90 malls in the Philippines and 9 in China. For generations, SM has grown alongside Filipino communities by creating destinations where people, businesses, and opportunities come together. Through SM Job Fairs, SM continues to evolve with the aspirations of Filipino job seekers by making employment opportunities more accessible across its malls nationwide. Designed for diverse job seeker communities—from fresh graduates and career shifters to experienced professionals—SM connects talent with employers through meaningful partnerships that support workforce development and inclusive economic growth. My SM. Your Most Loved Supermall.