HIGH school students now have the chance to pay their way through college when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed into law the expanded Special program for the Employment of Students (SPES).
Poor students during the ceremonial signing of the law called it a big leap from the older law that only allows big establishments to tie up with the government for summer job slots.
As PGMA signs the bill into law, students can avail of another pro-active step by the government to augment family resources, by getting temporary employment chances to expand family income in time for the economic crunch.
The law allows students employment while on vacation, and his income is a big supplement on his future matriculation fees, just as the older law has delivered about 400,000 students from 2001-2005, data form the Commission on Higher Education shows.
The old SPES law has helped students through college and we are hopeful that the expanded law makes the field much wider for poor students to try their luck, says Bohol labor agency spokesperson Teri Salas, in a phone interview.
The newly signed law also provides that student workers earn probationary period benefits if the grantee is subsequently hired, a press release from Bohol Representative Edgar Chatto bared.
Rep Chatto is the bill’s principal author.
With him are Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro), Eufrocino Codilla, (Leyte) Mary Ann Susanno (Quezon City), Emmanuel Villanueva (A TEACHER), Magtanggol Gunigundo (Valenzuela City), Arthur Pingoy (South Cotabato) and Orlando Fua (Siquijor), he added.
The law, also called the comprehensive Students’ Summer Job Law amends Republic Act 7323, which has been implemented for the past decade, reports said.
From the old law, which only allows establishments of 50 employees to engage in student summer job work, the expanded SPES now includes smaller establishments with 11 employees to hire.
The amended law also provides that course related work can be convertible to equivalent academic credits, Rep. Chatto explained bill’s salient provisions.
Unlike then, the new law allows high school students equal employment during vacations, and year-round chances for tertiary technical and vocational students. (rachiu/PIA)