THE Zamboanga City Government has allocated P16.698 million for the Summer Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) this year.
Socorro Rojas, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) chief, said this year’s SPES will benefit some 2,206 college and high school students including out of school youth (OSY) and the so-called SPES babies.
Jointly undertaken by the city government and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) with a 60-40 percent sharing of salaries, the SPES will start April 23 for the first batch of beneficiaries composed of 1,366 college students and SPES babies.
Rojas said the second batch will compose of 840 high school and college students and OSY.
The CSWDO chief said the number for the second batch decreased by 560 from the initial target of 1,400 after the Dole informed the city government of the 50 percent decrease in their budget that affected several programs including SPES of which their department is responsible to pay the 40 percent counterpart.
The SPES program covers a working period of 20 days with a daily wage of P503.09 per student, 60 percent of which amounts to P301.85 and the 40 percent of P201.24 for a total salary per student of P10,061.80.
Under the program, the areas of assignment of the students include selected city government offices and villages and offices located in their locality. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)