The provincial government has rolled out this year’s annual Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), providing temporary jobs to 147 student beneficiaries in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The Public Employment Service Division (PESD) conducted an orientation for this year’s beneficiaries was held at the Carlos M. Padilla Convention Center.
Dolly Rose C. Minas, supervising labor and employment officer and head of PESD, said the beneficiaries consist of 62 high school students and 85 college students. The first batch, composed of high school students, began work on April 22, as sweepers at the provincial capitol grounds to help maintain cleanliness in the area.
The second batch, made up of college students, will begin work on May 19 and will be assigned to various offices in the provincial capitol. Their duties will be aligned with their respective academic courses, Minas said.
Beneficiaries receive a daily stipend of PHP 639.14, equivalent to PHP 12,780 for the standard 20-day program. Minas noted, however, that this year’s work period was reduced from 20 days to 16 days to conform with the provincial government’s four-day workweek schedule of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; stipends will be adjusted accordingly.
Gov. Atty. Jose V. Gambito, who attended the orientation, reaffirmed his administration’s support for Vizcayano youth and urged the students to complete their studies. “The programs being implemented by our administration are part of our preparation of the province for you. My only request is that you also prepare yourselves by finishing your studies, because the time will come when you will be the ones to lead our province,” Gambito said.
SPES is a DOLE-initiated youth employment-bridging program implemented annually in partnership with local government units. Under the arrangement, DOLE covers 40 percent of the beneficiaries’ honorarium, while the provincial government shoulders the remaining 60 percent.
The program seeks to provide temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers. It is intended to augment family income and help ensure that beneficiaries can continue their education. /RMI
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