Senate Approves SPES Amendments
Jinggoy Journal - Volume 2 Issue 6 (June 2008)
Posted: July 28th, 2008 @ 12:13am
The bill proposing amendments to Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) was approved by the Senate.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, who sponsored Senate Bill 2116 in his capacity as chairman of Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, said that such legislative revisions are needed to help even more students finish their studies and make the measure relevant sixteen years after its passage.
Approved amendments include:
· Downsizing restrictive requirement from at least fifty (50) to more than fifteen (15) employees for an employer to qualify under SPES;
· Giving academic credits to students employed in activities related to their courses;
· Requiring employers to inform student-workers of their rights, benefits and privileges under existing laws and company policies;
· Penalizing persons or entities who refuse or dishonor educational vouchers by the government; and
Removing threshold amount (formerly pegged at P36,000) for maximum family income requirement.
"Earn and learn system of SPES has been extremely helpful in assisting poor but deserving students finance their education and open opportunities for employment. It also develops the productive work ethics of our young working students," Estrada said.
In his sponsorship speech, Sen. Estrada said that around 984,840 students benefited under SPES since 1995.
Citing statistics provided by labor regional offices, in 2006 alone SPES has benefited more than 60,000 students who were employed in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, electronics and other industries all over the country.
Sen. Estrada, chairman of Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment, further asserted that education is the most effective instrument of human liberation and development; and it is the responsibility of the government to make education accessible to all.
SPES was instituted under Republic Act 7323 in 1992 for poor students pursue their education through employment during summer and Christmas vacations.
Salaries are paid in cash by the employers, while the remaining 40% are given in form of education vouchers which can be used in payment of tuition fees and book expenses.
