BACOLOD City – Hundreds of youth beneficiaries of the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) from Negros Occidental and Bacolod City have received their allowances following separate payout activities.
On August 15, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the distribution of allowances to 200 SPES recipients at the Ayala Malls Function Hall. The event was spearheaded by the Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO), headed by Manager Karen Dinsay, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Each provincial SPES beneficiary received P12,300 for 20 days of temporary employment at various local government units (LGUs) and other government offices.
SPES is a joint program of DOLE and LGUs that provides short-term employment to poor but deserving students and out-of-school youth during summer or school breaks. The program aims to help participants earn income to support their education and augment their families’ financial needs.
In Bacolod City, Executive Assistant II Jovelyn Canoy, PESO coordinator, said over 900 SPES recipients received their allowances during a payout on August 16 at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby.
City-based recipients received varying amounts depending on whether they were under DOLE slots or LGU-funded slots. Those under the DOLE slots received P691 per day, amounting to more than P14,000 for 20 days of work. The daily rate was jointly shouldered by DOLE (40 percent) and the city government (60 percent).
Meanwhile, those under LGU-only slots received P480 per day, or a total of more than P9,000 for the same employment period.
For many of the beneficiaries, the program represents more than just a financial lifeline. It allows them to continue their studies, support their families, and build a foundation for a brighter future through honest work./PN
