Beneficiaries of the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) expressed gratitude to the City Government of San Fernando and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for their support in continuing their education, despite the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was remarked by the beneficiaries as they received the second tranche of their salaries from the City Government, amounting to more than P6,000, on December 3, 2020.
The first tranche of their income amounting to P4,000 was distributed by the DOLE last November.
The beneficiaries, through the City Employment Service Division (CESD), were employed for 20 days during the quarantine period to do jobs like backyard gardening, cleaning, proper waste segregation, and maintenance of school gardens within their respective communities.
Given that a new normal way of teaching is being implemented now, students shared that at least half of their salaries go to expenses for their online classes, including tuition, purchase of mobile phones, tablets and other gadgets, and several learning materials.
For the first edition of SPES for this year, 281 students were given salaries in a ceremony led by the CESD and attended by Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin and some barangay officials.
Meanwhile, 478 other Fernandino beneficiaries from the second edition who were employed from mid-September to mid-October will receive their salaries from the Provincial Government of Pampanga, together with DOLE, before yearend.