MANILA – Out-of-school youth are covered by the government’s summer job program, Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara stressed.
The Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) originally covers poor students but, under Republic Act 10917, now includes youths who are not in school.
Angara, who sponsored the law, said the payment beneficiaries get will help them sustain their education.
Some 164,000 youth benefitted from the program last year.
“Marami sa ating mga kabataan ang napipilitang huminto sa pag-aaral dahil gipit sa buhay ang kanilang pamilya,” said Angara.
“Dahil dito, pinalawak natin ang sakop ng batas para mabigyan ng oportunidad ang mga out-of-school youth na kumita at matustusan ang kanilang pagbabalik-eskwela,” he said.
Under the original SPES law, establishments and government agencies are encouraged to provide poor but deserving students jobs during the summer and Christmas breaks.
But under the new law, out-of-school youth, college and technical-vocational students may be employed under the same program at any time of the year.
High school students, on the other hand, may be employed only during the summer and/or Christmas breaks.
The law also raised the age limit of the beneficiaries – from 15-25 years old to 15-30 years old – and extended the employment period – from 20-52 days to 20-78 days.
In the SPES, 60 percent of a beneficiary’s salary will be paid by the employer while 40 percent will be shouldered by government – all to be given out in cash.
“Such salary should be used to pay for tuition and other education-related expenses, including daily allowance for food and transportation, said Angara.
“Malaking tulong ito upang maagang makapag-ipon para sa susunod na pasukan at para magtuloy-tuloy na sila sa pag-aaral,” he added./PN
