Bontoc, Mountain Province- Students and out-of-school youth who are interested to work this summer vacation under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) are advised to start completing the requirements needed to be ready when they apply on March 1 to April 8, 2016.
The Provincial Government of Mountain Province through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment – Mountain Province Field Office (DOLE- MP) stressed that applications shall be processed on a “First Come, First Served Basis,” and evaluation shall be based on the completeness of the requirements and timeliness of submission.
Public Employment Officer Ernesto B. Emilio enumerated that to qualify for the program, applicants must be physically fit, 15 -25 years of age, a bona fide resident of Mountain Province, must have passed 75% out of the total units enrolled during the last semester for college students while high school students must have no mark of failure in their Form 138, and whose parents’ or guardians’ joint net taxable incomes do not exceed P116, 898 per year.
Applicants are required to submit complete and appropriate pre-employment documents as basis for determining if they are qualified. Documents include original copy and duly certified photocopy of Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or by the Local Civil Registrar, original copy of grades or duly certified photocopy by the College Registrar for college student while the School Principal for high school student, four pieces of passport size ID picture and original copy or a certified photocopy of parents’ or guardians’ 2015 Income Tax Return (ITR). In lieu of the ITR, a Certification from the Barangay Chairperson certifying that the aggregate income of parents or guardians after tax deduction does not exceed poverty threshold in the Cordillera which is P116,898 per annum. Pro-forma of the Barangay Certification is available at the PESO.
All qualified applicants must attend the SPES orientation on April 15, 2016, must complete a total number of 20 official working days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, and shall receive a compensation of P250.00 per day.
Their wages shall come from the 60% share of the provincial government and the 40% counterpart of the DOLE. In this regard, the provincial government has allocated P600, 000 in its 2016 budget for this program.
To hasten the release of their wages, SPES workers are advised to submit the Post- SPES requirements immediately, after the SPES duration. All SPES employees must submit their Daily Time Records (DTRs) and Accomplishment Reports duly signed over printed name by the students and respective supervisors. These shall be submitted to the PESO and be compiled for the preparation of the SPES salary payroll representing the 60% counterpart of the provincial government.
Also, the DOLE requires that upon admission for the First Semester of School Year 2016-2017 (for college students) and School Year 2015-2016 (for high school students), SPES beneficiaries must secure a copy of their Statement of Account from the school they are enrolled for submission at the PESO. These will be compiled for submission at the DOLE- Regional Office before the processing of the SPES cheque representing the 40% counterpart of the DOLE.
The SPES, a yearly job generation program of the government, is intended to help poor but deserving students to pursue their studies by providing them employment during vacation to augment their tuition fees for the coming school year. It aims to develop the intellectual capacities of children and harness their potentials for the country’s well-being.
By Alpine L. Killa