DOLE-Kalinga asks LGUs to submit pledges for SPES program

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The Department of Labor and Employment-Kalinga requests the Local Government Units and their partner schools for the Special Program of the Employment of Students (SPES) to submit their Pledges of Commitment this month of January 2022 for them to assess and evaluate the pledges and list of beneficiaries.

SPES is a special employment aimed at providing temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers.

This employment is usually given during summer and/or Christmas vacation or any time of the year to augment the family’s income to help ensure that beneficiaries are able to pursue their education.

In an interview with Anthony Luminang of DOLE-Kalinga, he said that their office is waiting for the different local government units, the provincial government and the Kalinga State University to submit their pledges for the implementation of the SPES program this year.

“Tadta nga January agur-uray tayo kadagiti pledges da, pledge of commitment nga aggapu kadagitoy employer tayo - dagitoy local government units, provincial government, city government, ken ti Kalinga State University,” Luminang said.

Luminang explained that after pledges are submitted and approved, the employers will then hire applicants based on the SPES qualification requirements.

Who is eligible for the SPES?

Here are the following qualifications to be eligible for the said program:

1. Students or out-of-school youth (OSY) who are within 15 to 30 age bracket

2. Combined net income after tax of parents, including his/her own, if any, does not exceed the regional poverty threshold

3. Students must have obtained a passing general weighted average (GWA)

4. OSY must be certified by the local Social Welfare and Development Office (SWDO) as OSY

When asked about non-working parents, or parents who do not have a regular job and may not have income tax return, Luminang said an applicant is required to get an indigency certificate issued by the barangay or the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.

Luminang added that out-of-school youth who plan to resume schooling, even in elementary, are the ones who are accommodated in the program.

Beneficiaries’ job assignment

Luminang explained that beneficiaries are tasked to do either office work or community cleaning for four hours a day.

“Mabalin da i-require nga agtrabaho on field kasla road cleaning wennu idyay mismo barangay da. Mabalin met lang iti office,” Luminang said, adding that they have shortened the beneficiaries’ working hour to only four hours a day due to the threat of COVID-19 virus.

They have also released an advisory to LGUs and partner schools not to assign their SPES workers to do hazardous job.

“During daytoy nga pandemic, adda ti SPES advisory tayo nga dapat limited ti exposure da outside. Dapat ti patrabaho da is non-hazardous,” he said.

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