LUBAO, Pampanga — Six hundred eighteen student-beneficiaries completed the 20-day work under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) in this town and receive their salaries on Friday.
Mayor Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab was represented by Vice Mayor Robertito Diaz to lead the distribution of salaries for the student-beneficiaries at the town’s municipal gymnasium.
SPES is an annual program implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment and the local government unit, thru the public employment services office (PESO).
It provides government agencies and participating private establishments the opportunity to help poor but deserving students and out-of-school youth in pursuing education by employing them during the summer or Christmas vacation.
The SPES program was created under Republic Act 7323, which was enacted on March 30, 1992.
Each of the student-beneficiaries received P7,754.40 as salary for work rendered for 20 days at a daily wage rate of P387.72.
Of the total payout, 60 percent (P2,875,331.52) was sourced from local government funds while the remaining 40 percent (P1,916,887.68) was shouldered by DOLE.
Raquel Lugtu, Lubao PESO manager, said the objective of the SPES is to develop the intellectual capacities of children of poor families and harness their potentials for the country’s wellbeing.
DOLE Pampanga Field Office head Arlene Tolentino also assisted in the payout for the beneficiaries. –Albert B. Lacanlale