SPES PAYOUT. Christian Vergara, a SPES beneficiary and 2nd- year BS IT in Graphics Technology student from Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) receives his P 5,732.76 worth of paycheck from the provincial government of Pampanga after completing a 20-day work period of the SPES program.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga- Some 1,362 student-beneficiaries had received P7.81 million under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) program implemented by the Public Employment Service (PESO) of the provincial government amid the spread of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The past weeks have been challenging especially for students like Christian Vergara, a SPES beneficiary and 2nd- year BS IT in Graphics Technology student from Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU).
“Ngayong lockdown, marami pong nangangailangan ng ayuda, lalo na po sa pamilya namin, walang nagtatrabaho sa amin,” he shared.
He thanked the timely payout of the provincial PESO as he can now help support his family with goods and necessities enough for the whole quarantine period.
“Dapat po pambili namin ito ng double deck kasi sa lapag lang po kami natutulog pero kailangan muna po naming ipagpaliban ito at ilaan ang pera para pambili ng pagkain at ng mga pangangailangan namin sa pang- araw-araw. Sobrang laking tulong na po ito, lalo na ngayong lockdown,” he said.
Meanwhile, France Barrera, another SPES beneficiary, and 3rd-year AB Communication Arts student from the University of the Assumption said that the salary will be put to good use in preparation for the next school year and other school-related expenses to ease the burden of her parents whose jobs were affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
According to Luningning Vergara, provincial PESO manager, the payout was ready for distribution last February but was rescheduled due to the restrictions imposed under the ECQ.
Given the situation, Vergara said Governor Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda recognized the need for the immediate distribution of the paycheck amid the crisis.
“Ngening panaun ning krisis, balu ng Gov Delta na kailangan do reng istudyanti reng paycheck da. Kaya ikami na mismu ing mumunta kareng balen da,” she said.
(In this time of crisis, Governor Delta knows fully well that they need their paychecks. That’s why we are the ones who visited them to personally hand over their salaries.)
Beneficiaries of the 2nd and 3rd batch of students received P 5,732.76 each after completing a 20-day work period.
Data from the Provincial PESO showed that the beneficiaries came from the City of San Fernando (CSF) with 209 students; Bacolor,48; Arayat, 34; Mexico, 85; Mabalacat City, 14; Magalang, 28; Floridablanca, 53; Guagua, 120;Lubao, 125; Porac, 69; Sasmuan, 26; and Sta. Rita, 57.
The PESO manager noted that 60 percent of the salary which was shouldered by the provincial government were already received by the students.
DOLE, on the other hand, is also set to distribute its 40 percent counterpart in the days to come.
