The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has allotted P35.95 million for the implementation of its Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) this year eyed to benefit some 11,397 target recipients.
The amount will serve as the 40 percent counterpart for the salary of the beneficiaries. The recipients are poor and deserving high school, technical-vocational and college students, as well as out-of-school youths who wish to continue their studies this 2016-2017 academic year.
The province of Negros Occidental, which is consistently the top implementer of the program in terms of placement and fund utilization, got the amount of P14,739,910, or around 41 percent of this year’s SPES budget, for the placement of 4,672 student-beneficiaries.
The province of Iloilo followed with P11,144,810, or 31 percent of the total SPES budget, to pay the 40 per cent of the salaries of 3,533 student-beneficiaries.
Capiz has some P3,595,100 allocation for 1,140 students or OSYs while Guimaras has P719,020 for the 228 beneficiaries.
Both Antique and Aklan have P2,876,080 for their targets of 912 beneficiaries each.
Ligutom disclosed that as of March 11, 2016, the region already received total pledges of 11,310 from various partners both in public and private sectors.
He, thus urged indigent students and OSYs to avail of this program by going to their respective local government units which implement the program.
The SPES is a program intended to help poor but deserving students and out-of-school youth pursue their education by encouraging their employment during summer and Christmas vacation (for high school students only) or any time of the year (for tertiary and tech-voc students), provided that the number of days shall not be less than 20 days or more than 52 days within a period of one year.
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The employer pays the beneficiary 60 percent of his/her salary, while the DOLE pays the remaining 40 percent in the form of educational voucher applicable as payment for the student’s tuition fees and books in education institution.
On top of the income, the beneficiaries are covered by insurance for one year from the start of their employment.
They also earn the necessary work experience and develop work ethics which are necessary in their future employment.
To avail of this program, the beneficiaries should be at least 15 but not more than 25 years old with combined income after tax of parents, including her or his own not exceeding P108,174, the latest annual regional poverty threshold level for a family of six. (PNA)
