“As of August, we have released around P39 million SPES funds which represent the government’s 40 percent share for the payment of salaries of the beneficiaries,” said DOLE’s technical support and service division for employment and welfare head Alejandro Inza Cruz.
Cruz said the remaining 60 percent was shouldered by participating local government units (LGUs) and private firms. Aside from the SPES, about 440 youths composed of secondary, tertiary, and technical-vocational graduates and students were also given employment in government offices under the DOLE’s Government Internship Program (GIP).
“As interns, they worked for six months in LGUs, agencies, and schools,” Cruz said. Meanwhile, some 32,000 graduating high school students from 192 schools attended Career and Employment Guidance Coaching seminars in an effort to minimize future jobs mismatch, he also said.
“Those seminars were made successful through our close coordination with partner agencies, Public Employment Service Offices, and Career Guidance Networks,” Cruz added.
