CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A total of P6,300,400 was distributed on Wednesday to 829 students employed under the government’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) for their salary.
Each recipient collected P7,600 from the Provincial Government’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) who had worked for 20 days in different municipalities of the province.
Governor Lilia Pineda during the distribution disclosed that the Provincial Government through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s endorsement has allocated a total of P8.7 million for the 1,916 SPES beneficiaries.
“Nagpapasalamat ako at kayo magpasalamat kayo dahil nabahagian kayo sa pondong ibinigay sa akin ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan, kay Vice-governor Dennis Pineda at sa mga board members. Kasi lahat ng ipinamimigay ko, scholarship program, infrastructure, tulong sa maysakit, tulong sa mahihirap, tulong sa mga Kapampangan, ibinigay nila sa akin kasi alam nila na talagang napupunta sa mga bawat sector at sa mga Kapampangan,” the governor said.
The lady governor also thanked DOLE’s Regional Director Ana Dione, Provincial Director Arlene Tolentino and PESO managers Luningning Vergara and Donnie Asayre for their continuous dedication and support to the programs of the provincial government.
Apart from the jobs given to the SPES beneficiaries as tax mappers, barangay survey personnel, encoders, school assistants, food service crew, gasoline attendants and promotion merchandisers, they also helped in gathering the 50,000 out-of-school youth as requested by the governor.
Governor Pineda, likewise, revealed to the students that the 1,916 beneficiaries will become 4,000 next year being them as the first priority.
“Gaya ng sinasabi ni Vice-gov, sa susunod nandito pako, wala ako, ngayon pa lang isasama ko na sa budget magiging 4,000 na yung ating summer SPES program at kayong 1,916 na ngayon, sa susunod kayo pa rin ang priority, kayo pa rin ang kukunin ng kapitolyo,” the governor added.
Vice-governor Dennis Pineda on the other hand, acknowledged the efforts of the DOLE and requested that the program shall continue to provide indigent students summer jobs to augment their college education.
DOLE RD Dione meantime, expressed her appreciation to the provincial government for the “counterpart-funding” the latter provides for their SPES program.
Forty percent of the students’ salary came from the DOLE and the remaining 60 percent from the provincial government.
Also present in the event were Board members Cherry Manalo and Crisostomo Garbo (1st district), Salvador Dimson Jr. and Anthony Joseph Torres (2nd district), Ferdinand Labung and Rosve Henson (3rd district), Nestor Tolentino (4thdistrict), ABC president and ex-officio Board member Atty. Gerome Tubig, PML’s president and Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr., Chief-of-staff and ex-officio Board member Fritzie David Dizon, Executive Assistant Edna Vitug, DEPED Supt. Leonardo Zapanta and other guests.
CAPTION: Governor Lilia Nanay Pineda and Vice-governor Dennis Pineda pose with the 829 SPES beneficiaries during the distribution of salary at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center on Wednesday. Joining them are Board members of the 4 districts, Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr. and other guests.
By Maribel U. Singca
