A total of 1,014 beneficiaries of the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental received wages amounting to P8.176 million for work rendered during the summer break in various local government units (LGUs) and government offices.

Under the program, public sector employers hire students and out-of-school youths as temporary employees and pay 60 percent of their salaries. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) covers the remaining 40 percent.

Karen Dinsay, head of the province’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO), said in an interview yesterday that they hired 200 beneficiaries, assigned to nine LGUs and two provincial government offices.

“We released P1.476 million to the beneficiaries. The governor [Eugenio Jose Lacson] hopes the province will get more slots next year so that more students will be given the opportunity to avail the program,” she added.

During the payout on August 15, each beneficiary received P12,300 or P615 per day for 20 days of temporary employment.

The amount of P369 came from the provincial government and P246 from the DOLE.

Meanwhile, the Bacolod City government, in partnership with the DOLE, paid a total of P6.7 million in wages to 814 beneficiaries on August 16.

“Each of these students dreams to finish school, help their families, and build a future full of opportunities. We know how much this support means to them,” Mayor Greg Gasataya said in a statement.

Each beneficiary received between P9,600 and P12,300 during the payout facilitated by the city’s PESO at the main lobby of the Bacolod City Government Center.

“The city reaffirms its commitment to support the SPES program and assist the beneficiaries in securing future employment opportunities,” the mayor said. (PNA)