Regional Career Expo highlights career guidance

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. underscored the role of career guidance in developing the country’s human resources as he addressed students and educators during the opening of the Regional Career Expo 2026 on Monday, Jan. 19.

“Career development is the most fundamental stage of cultivating the most important resource of our country, which is our human resource,” Defensor said.

He stressed the need to guide students in choosing careers that will shape their future while responding to the needs of the economy and the country.

Under his leadership, the provincial government institutionalized career guidance through the Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya Program.

Through the initiative, the province developed the Career Guidance Instructional Module for secondary students to help them make informed course decisions by linking education pathways with labor and industry demands.

The module was developed in collaboration with the Department of Education–Iloilo and the University of the Philippines Visayas, making Iloilo the first province in the country to produce a career guidance manual for secondary students.

Defensor said career counseling has long been a personal advocacy.

In 2018, while serving as congressman of Iloilo’s Third District, he authored Republic Act No. 11206, also known as the Career Guidance and Counseling Act.

The first day of the Regional Career Expo 2026, held at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel, gathered about 400 students and school personnel from Iloilo City, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Roxas City.

The event aims to help graduating students better understand the evolving landscape of the Philippine workforce and the global labor market.

Through plenary sessions and exhibits, participants gain insights to help them prepare for life after basic education.