8,000 SPES slots up for grabs in Central Visayas

• Source:http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2016/05/19/1584805/8000-spes-slots-grabs-central-visayas
• Thursday, May 19, 2016 12:00 am

By Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment-7 is encouraging students to take advantage of the remaining slots for the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).

SPES aims to assist poor but deserving students to find employment while pursuing their studies.

DOLE-7 Director Exequiel Sarcauga, in a statement, said any person between 15 to 25 years old who is enrolled or an out-of-school youth, intending to enroll in any secondary, tertiary, technical or vocational education institution could apply for the program.

"I am encouraging parents and students to visit the nearest Public Employment Service Offices and inquire on the SPES program," he said, adding that PESOs function as the frontline implementers of the program.

For 2016, he said, Region 7 still has more than 8,000 slots available for students who want to avail of the program. As of April 2016, the region has so far placed 6,715 SPES beneficiaries against its aim of coming up with 15,457 beneficiaries for the year.

The Bohol Field Office (BFO) recorded 972 beneficiaries against its target of4,712; while the Cebu Provincial Field Office tallied 2,148beneficiaries, a little over 50 percent of its target of 4,045. The Siquijor Field Office, meanwhile, reported around 389 students placed out of the 700 beneficiaries that it should aim to produce for the year. Freeman ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

The Tri-City Field Office (TCFO), which has the biggest target at 6, 000, achieved more than 50 percent of so far with 3,206 students placed under the program.

For 2016, about P67,944,760 has been earmarked for the program's implementation in the region. The amount, Sarcauga added, will be used to shoulder the 40 percent share of the agency for students' salaries.

Sarcauga said DOLE will pay 40 percent of the applicable salary or wage of students in the form of an education voucher while 60 percent will be taken care of by program's participating employers.