The city government here is once again inviting students and out-of-school youth (OSY) to avail of its Special Employment Program for Students (SPES) including dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers during summer.

Open to all qualified students aged 15 to 30 years old, Mayor Michael Keon said Tuesday he is committed to providing more opportunities for the locals to earn a living particularly in this time of the pandemic.

“Following health protocols and the Inter-Agency Task Force guidelines, the SPES program must continue as I know fully well the hardships and sacrifices of the parents and students alike,” he said.

The SPES program of the city government is an employment-bridging program that aims to provide temporary employment to disadvantaged youth to augment their family’s income and help ensure that beneficiaries can pursue their education.

To qualify in the program, an applicant must belong to the low-income bracket which means the combined net income after tax of his/her parents, including his/her own, if any, does not exceed the regional poverty threshold. He/She must also have obtained a passing general weighted average and must be certified by the Social Welfare and Development Office as out-of-school youth.

Last year, at least 100 students benefited from the program who worked at different offices of the city government for 10 days with a daily wage of PHP498.05 or a total of PHP4,980.50 for the duration of the SPES program. (PNA)