TUGUEGARAO CITY, April 6 (PIA) — Some 4,503 poor but deserving students are expected to be employed under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) this summer of 2013 in Cagayan province.

Elmer Lumauan, head of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Cagayan, said 3,939 students will be employed in 27 local government units and national government agencies provincewide, while 564 students in 17 private institutions.

“A total of P8.19 million is already allocated for the 40 percent DOLE’s counterpart for the salary of the student-beneficiaries,” Lumauan said.

The SPES as mandated under R.A. 9547 aims to help poor but deserving students ages 15-25 pursue their education by encouraging their employment specially during summer and Christmas vacation. Out-of-school youths who have the intention of going back to school are also eligible beneficiaries.

“Among the municipal government units, Peñablanca town employs the highest number of students totaling to 860 but LGU Allacapan gives the highest rate of P333/day. The students will be working for a minimum of 20 days and a maximum of 45 days in the LGUs and private institutions who hired them,” Lumauan added.

Their employers, he added, LGUs or private institutions, will pay 60 percent of their salaries while the remaining 40 percent will be paid by the DOLE.

Lumauan further said that, though DOLE is requesting for election ban exemption of the SPES program, the beneficiaries to be hired will definitely enjoy the financial assistance from the government in preparation for their studies in the next semester.