Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to ensure that the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) will contribute to senior high schools’ job-readiness.

Gatchalian cited a 2020 report by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, which found that the SPES does not impact academic outcomes or work readiness in the medium term. The DOLE, alongside local government units (LGUs), implement the SPES to give the youth temporary employment during school breaks. For 2026, P800 million is allotted for the program.

“If we can link the SPES to our senior high school students, we can give them work and help them gain experience,” said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.

According to Labor Undersecretary Carmela Torres, the DOLE is working to ensure that students’ work assignments give them practical work experience, life skills, and exposure to real-world work environments.

Gatchalian also pointed out that helping senior high school students through the SPES can help address Filipinos’ dissatisfaction with senior high school.

In 2024, the DOLE assisted 84,745 beneficiaries of the SPES. 

Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OS WIN GATCHALIAN