Philex employs 64 studes under SPES

TUBA, Benguet – Philex Mining Corp. has employed 64 temporary workers from its host municipalities of Itogon and Tuba and nearby Baguio city in support to the national government’s special program for the employment of students (SPES).

           

Engineer Libby R. Ricafort, Philex vice president and resident manager, said 43 workers are from Tuba town, 20 came from Itogon and 1 is from Baguio City.

           

According to him the temporary workers are mixed high school, college and vocational students who are between 15 to 25 years old.

           

SPES is a program by the Department of Labor and Employment  mandated under Republic Act No. 9547 to help poor but deserving students pursue their education by providing or augmenting their income through employment during summer and Christmas breaks, and consequently developing their intellectual capacities and harnessing their potentials.

           

“We are thankful that undergrad students like us are given the opportunity to experience a real working environment and learn early on the challenges that go with it,” said Melvin Amasen, a SPES assigned to the Company’s Community Relations department.

           

“Since 2008, the mining firm has been employing SPES beneficiaries under its Social Development Management Program (SDMP) with an investment of approximately PhP1.18 million to date,” Ricafort added.

           

He cited the temporary workers will enjoy receiving the prescribed daily wage for workers in the private sector and that they will be employed until the end of the month prior to the start of regular classes when they are supposed to attend their classes.

           

Under the SPES, companies employing students are obliged to pay 60 percent of the daily wage of the workers while the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will pay the remaining 40 percent and will be paid in the form of education vouchers to the education institutions where the students are employed.

           

“Our company remains committed to provide sustainable employment opportunities to qualified workers from our host and neighboring communities through various schemes,” Ricafort said, citing the company also accepts individuals who are willing to undergo on the job trainings and acquire sufficient knowledge about mining operations.

           

Philex has more than 1,500 rank and file workers and nearly 500 supervisors who are employed under separate collective bargaining agreements that were subsequently signed by both management and the concerned parties late last year.

           

“Aside from the valuable work experience that we acquire from the company, it is also our honor and privilege to work with their officers for a short period of time,” Amasen said.

           

Philex is the largest gold and copper producer in the country and has a projected mine life until year 2020 with an expected ore deposit of more than 80.94 million tons within its areas of operation in sitioPadcal, Barangay Camp 3, Tuba, Benguet.

           

“We have been hearing about mining from our parents but now we have a chance to see for ourselves actual mining operations and its other services as we are now temporarily employed by the company,” amasen added, citing that “there is really life in mining provided it will be done with utmost responsibility.”