CAPAS, Tarlac — At least 150 poor students in this town were the latest beneficiaries of the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), who received a total of PHP538,983 worth of salaries on Thursday.
The SPES is a flagship program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) — in collaboration with local government units — that enables marginalized but deserving students to pursue their education while experiencing the real world of work.
The local government of Capas, through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and the DOLE Tarlac Field Office, facilitated on Thursday the distribution of SPES checks to the beneficiaries.
The amount represented the DOLE’s 40 percent share for the payment of salaries of the beneficiaries, each of whom received PHP3,593.22 for 22 days of work.
The remaining 60 percent of the salaries, on the other hand, was shouldered by the local government of Capas.
DOLE-Tarlac head Aurita Laxamana said that the beneficiaries, mostly college students, were deployed to the town’s barangays as enumerators.
“Our SPES beneficiaries were tasked to profile household information needed by the local government’s Community-Based Management System (CBMS), a system vital for their planning and formulation of interventions intended for its constituents,” Laxamana said.
Ryan Macalino, one of the beneficiaries, said the SPES program was a great learning experience for him.
“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat at napabilang po ako sa SPES dahil marami po akong natutunan bilang enumerator at nagkaroon ng karanasan sa pakikipagsalamuha sa iba’t ibang klase ng tao. Napakalaking tulong po ang SPES sa amin upang mapagpatuloy pa po namin ang aming pag-aaral (I am grateful that I was included in SPES because I have learned a lot as enumerator and I also gained experience in dealing with different types of people. SPES is a big help for us as we can continue our studies), ” he said.
Macalino, a graduating BS Chemical Engineering student of St. Louis University, hopes to complete his studies and provide for his family’s needs.
Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan, PESO Manager Merly Bumagat, Labor and Employment Officer Desire Julian, and other local officials were present during the SPES check distribution. (Eden Gutierrez/PNA)
