The city government has employed 347 students through its Special Employment Program for Students (SPES), allowing them to earn income this summer.
Shey Pia Abaya, head of the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO), confirmed this on Tuesday, a day after the students were deployed for their summer jobs.
Before their deployment, the student-beneficiaries were oriented by the offices to which they were assigned for 20 working days.
Topics discussed included general rules for waste segregation, environmental care, and the promotion of respectful workplace relationships.
Resource speakers from various offices shared insights to help prepare the students for their roles in government service.
SPES participants were also reminded of their responsibilities as program beneficiaries, with an emphasis on discipline, professionalism, and accountability in the workplace.
“The orientation marks the beginning of their journey as part of the workforce, where they are expected to gain meaningful experience while contributing to the community,” Abaya said.
The Laoag SPES program is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment and the local government to provide students with opportunities to earn while gaining meaningful work experience.
The city government’s SPES program is an employment bridging initiative that offers temporary jobs to disadvantaged youth. Its goal is to help increase their family income and support beneficiaries in continuing their education.
The program is accessible to all qualified students aged 15 to 30.
To qualify for the program, an applicant must be from the low-income bracket, meaning the combined net income after tax of the applicant’s parents, including any of the applicant’s own income, if applicable, does not surpass the regional poverty threshold.
Additionally, the applicant must have achieved a passing general weighted average.
“Thank you so much for the SPES program. I look forward to learning more from the city government affairs,” Nick Tuliao, one of the SPES beneficiaries in this city, said in an interview on Tuesday. (PNA)
