ZAMBOANGA CITY – Some 100 qualified college students from various tertiary schools in Zamboanga del Sur Province are to benefit from the Department of Labor and Employment 9’s (DOLE 9) Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) as they undergo orientation and contract signing on September 1, 2020 at the Executive Function Hall, Provincial Capitol, ZDS.

DOLE 9 Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said that the SPES is DOLE’s youth employment-bridging program which aims to provide temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers during summer and/or Christmas vacation or any time of the year to augment the family’s income to help ensure that beneficiaries are able to pursue their education.

Each student will receive a wage of Php 503.00 per day for 20 days of work in various offices where they will be assigned. Of the wages they will receive, 60% will be shouldered by the provincial government while the remaining 40% will be disbursed by DOLE 9.

Director Buenafe also emphasized SPES Advisories Nos. 4 & 5 outlining the guidelines for the implementation of SPES in MGCQ and GCQ areas.

“For the safety of the students, SPES applicants below 21 years old and those with immunodeficiency, comorbidities or other health risks are prohibited from participating in the said program,” Dir. Buenafe said.

“Likewise, employers are advised to provide flexible work arrangements for the students or to strictly ensure that beneficiaries are to fulfill only desk work or related tasks that will not require them to travel or stay outside for an indefinite period of time,” he added.

PESO Officer Ameliano Himang expressed his gratitude to DOLE 9 and Zamboanga del Sur Governor Victor J. Yu and Congresswoman Divina Grace Yu for the support afforded to the program. END/With reports from DOLE ZDSFO