710 studes work under SPES in Mt. Province

By Andrew B. Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- About 710 students and out- of -school youth in the province will be employed this summer under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

DOLE provincial head Samuel Lasdacan said Public Employment Service officers in municipalities are now screening student applicants based on pre-employment documents for their employment this April.

Lasdacan said their office is now strictly requiring student-applicants to submit complete pre-employment documents not only to determine if they are qualified to the program but also to hasten the release of their wages later on.

The SPES, a yearly job generation program of the government, is intended to help poor but deserving students to pursue their studies by providing them employment during vacation to augment their tuition fees for the coming school year.

Qualified in the program are high school, college and vocational students and out of school youth ages 15-25 who intend to enroll in the following school year.

Based on the approved SPES allocation for the province, DOLE has allotted P1,143,446.08 as its 40 percent counterpart for the salaries of the students while the different local government units and some private establishment employers have a total pledge of commitment of P1,715,169.00 which represents their 60 percent counterpart.

This year, the eastern municipality of Natonin will employ the most number of 192 students followed by the office of the provincial governor with 150 students. The office of the vice governor will also hire 50 students.

The local government unit of Bauko will employ 96 students, Sabangan – 40; Bontoc – 26; Tadian – 25; Sagada – 25; Besao – 25; Sadanga – 24, and Barlig – 20.

Four private participating employers namely the Xijen College of Mt. Province, Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines, Samoki Valley Inn and Restaurant and CYD Enterprise will employ a total of 33 students.

Lasdacan explained that the SPES students after getting the 60 percent of their salaries from their employers, have to get payrolls as basis for the preparation of the remaining 40 percent wage from DOLE which will be given in the form of checks when they present or show proof of enrollment for the school year.