TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—Strengthening a nationwide ‘bridging employment’ program and to help poor but deserving youth to pursue their education, the Department of Labor and Employment – Regional Office 2 (DOLE 2) rewarded a total number of 9,747 student-workers as beneficiaries of the Special Program for the Employment of Student (SPES).

Through SPES, the region’s underprivileged youth are provided with short-term employment and work experience to equip them as part of the future workforce.

Highest number of beneficiaries employed by different DOLE 2 partner agencies in the government and private sectorscome from Isabela with 3,435, followed by Cagayan with 3,007, Quirino with 1,897, Nueva Vizcaya with 1,135 and Batanes with 273.

Among them were 7,377 newly registered SPES beneficiaries while 2, 370 were already SPES ‘baby’, a term given for long-term beneficiaries of the program.

According to DOLE 2 Regional Director, Manuel C. Roldan, SPES is not just a means for students and out-of-school youths to finance their education.

“The SPES envisions to give the youth-beneficiaries a picture of how working life is and to serve as a training ground for them to improve their skills, build their confidence and self-discipline,” Roldan said.

“It is also an avenue for them to learn that they have to work hard to achieve their dreams,” the Labor Director added.

The SPES is an employment-bridging program that provides income to poor but deserving students and out-of-school youth who intend to finish their education.

The requirements in applying for SPES are few and simple. The applicants should be at least 15 but not more than 30 years of age. Students must have obtained at least an average passing grade during the last semester/school year they attended. For out-of-school youth (OSY), they must be duly certified as OSY by concerned Barangay Officials.

The DOLE partners with private establishments, LGUs and NGAs to employ the qualified SPES applicants/beneficiaries. The employer will pay the beneficiaries of at least 60% of the prevailing minimum wage and the balance will be shouldered by DOLE and it is free from tax.

Employment under this program usually lasts from 20 to 78 days, except on Christmas Vacation that it is 10 to 15 days. High school students are only allowed to avail of the SPES program during summer vacation while college and technical and vocational students and OSY can take advantage of this opportunity year-round. (END/JVP/RBE).