ILOILO City – Thousands of students in Western Visayas may avail themselves of summer jobs in the government and its partner establishments.
Some 8,872 slots under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) are available in the region.
The SPES aims to provide temporary employment to poor students.
This will help them earn income to sustain their studies in the next school year, said Amy Judicpa, information officer of the Department of Labor and Employment Region 6.
But Judicpa said the program is also open to out-of-school youths who intend to go back to school when classes resume.
Those working under the SPES will be paid minimum daily wage.
Sixty percent of their salary will come from the local government unit (LGU) or agency or private company employing them while 40 percent will come from the Labor department.
But under new guidelines, the DOLE could shoulder 100% of the salary of SPES workers if the employing LGU or agency cannot afford it.
Summer jobs under the SPES shall last for not less than 20 days.
Judicpa clarified that the employing entities have the prerogative when they would want the SPES workers to begin.
The DOLE started receiving applications for the SPES starting January through the Public Employment Service Office of LGUs.
To qualify for the SPES, an applicant must be between 15 and 30 years old, and must have an annual family income of not more than P124,000 and passing grades, among other requirements.
The DOLE has allocated P35 million for the SPES this year./PN
