The City Government of Davao has continued its support for working students who are under the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).
In 2024, the city government allocated P1,710,000 to support 150 of the 396 students who benefitted from the SPES program.
Shirly Duran Sahid, Labor Employment Officer of PESO Davao, in an interview with the Usapang Pambata: Special Office for Children’s Concern over the city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR), said that the Department of Labor and Employment will pay 40 percent of the students’ salaries, while the remaining 60 percent will come from the LGUs or private organizations.
She said that the SPES program benefits disadvantaged students who wish to pursue their studies.
Applicants for the SPES program must be between the ages of 15 and 30. A birth certificate, final grades (transcript or Form 138), parents’ or guardians’ Income Tax Return (ITR) of not more than P168,000, and 2×2 I.D. picture are required when applying. The students must also work 22 days to 28 days a month or render eight hours of work per day.
“Dili lang ni limited ang atoang program sa mga nag-eskwela, gadawat pod gyud mi’g Out Of School Youth (OSY) in preparation pod sa ilaha nga gusto pod sila nga mu-eskwela for the next semester (Our program is open to both in-school and out-of-school youth (OSY) to prepare them if they want to attend classes the following semester),” Sahid said.
“Sa mga LGUs dapat gyud eight hours pero sa mga private pwede makatrabaho sila’g four hours depende sa ilang schedule sa ilahang pag-eskwela (Employees in LGUs should work for eight hours, but employees in private enterprises may work four hours depending on their school schedule),” she added.
Sahid also said some SPES students have become regular employees in private businesses.
Students who wish to apply for the program are encouraged to visit the PESO main office, located on the ground floor of the City Sports Building at the Davao City Recreation Centre (previously Almendras Gym). CIO