COTABATO CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOLE-ARMM) has opened 1,411 summer jobs for students and out-of-school youths (OSYs) across the region.
DOLE-ARMM Secretary Muslimin Jakilan said the program is open to all qualified high school, college or vocational course students, and OSYs living in areas covered by Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Governance, and Synergy (ARMM-HELPS) program, a development convergence initiative of the regional government covering 553 recipient barangays.
“We prioritize those students who most need summer jobs,” Jakilan said, adding that the drive is part of DOLE’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), a flagship program designed to provide income opportunities to OSYs and students from underprivileged families during summer or Christmas breaks.
He said DOLE-ARMM has earmarked PHP3.8 million for the program.
Under the SPES, the labor department shoulders 40 percent of the salaries of beneficiaries, while the employers – government agencies, such as local government units, and private companies as well as other sponsor institutions – pay the remaining 60 percent.
“We want to help the students and OSYs earn money, which they can use to pay for next school year,” Jakilan said.
Registration for employment of applicants has begun and will end in the last week of March. Students will work for a period of 25 days.
A student applicant is required to submit the following: birth certificate; barangay clearance; certification by the school registrar, or Form 138, or original class card; certificate of good moral character; and parents’ income tax return, which shows an annual income not exceeding PHP85,000.
For an OSY applicant, a certificate of good moral character issued by his/her barangay will be required. Applicants may inquire for more information on the program at the DOLE-ARMM’s regional office at the ARMM compound in this city or labor department offices in their respective provinces. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
