ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has increased its counterpart allocation to P5 million from the previous P4 million in this year’s Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), also known as summer job program of the government.
This was announced by Sisinio Cano, the officer-in-charge of DOLE regional office, when he paid a courtesy call on Mayor Celso Lobregat on Tuesday at the City Hall.
Cano, who was regional director of DOLE-10 in Cagayan de Oro City prior to his assignment here in Zamboanga Peninsula, said that the increase in DOLE’s SPES fund for Zamboanga City would also mean a substantial increase in the number of students from high school and college that the city government will hire for special jobs this coming summer.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Francisco Barredo, who is also this city's Public Employment Services Office (PESO) manager, has expressed elation over Cano’s announcement as he expects more and more students will be able to avail of this city’s annual summer job program this year.
Barredo said the city government hired last year a total of 2,900 high school, college and vocational students for summer jobs with an allocation of P9 million, while DOLE regional office’s counterpart allocation was P4 million.
The SPES is mandated under Republic Act No. 9547 otherwise known as "An Act To Help Poor But Deserving Students Pursue Their Education By Encouraging Their Employment During Summer and/or Christmas Vacations.”
Under the program, the city government pays 60 percent of the students’ daily salary while the remaining 40 percent will be paid by DOLE through the so-called education vouchers.
As this developed, Cano said that Zamboanga Peninsula is enjoying a robust employment rate of 96 percent as of last year, which is higher than the national employment rate of 93 percent.
“We will continue our advocacy on labor relations, social protection program and implementation of the new wage order,” Cano said when asked about his thrusts as officer-in-charge of DOLE Zamboanga Peninsula.
“What is worth noting is that Region 9 or Zamboanga Peninsula and Zamboanga City in particular remains labor strike-free,” Cano added. (PNA)
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