600 Students Needed For Cebu Summer Job Program

Sunstar Cebu reports that the local city government of Cebu will be hiring 600 students over the summer for a summer job program that will provide employment opportunities:

DMDP Chief Fidel Magno disclosed they were supposed to start interviewing applicants last March 1 but they have yet to receive the endorsements from City Hall.

Magno said, though, the City will only hire 600 students for its summer job program this year, 1,200 fewer than the number of students it hired last year.

“It’s fewer this year because we only have a P4-million approved budget for the program compared to P10 million last year,” Magno said.

Rama said it’s up to Councilors Edgardo Labella, Eduardo Rama and Joey Daluz how they will go about the endorsements, but added the matter must be dealt with urgently, now that graduation season is in full swing.
The executive department will reportedly endorse some 360 students for the Spes, while the legislative will be able to take in only 240 applicants.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, chairman of the City Council’s committee on labor, employment, livelihood and manpower development, said they can do nothing about it because it’s the discretion of the mayor.
“Last year, we had 30 students per batch, but now I think we’ll have only seven per councilor and the vice mayor,” Andales said.

Rama clarified that the ordinance did not mention any quota for each councilor, but the City Council may also be given a fair share of slots for their constituents.

Every year, the City offers summer jobs to high school and college students in line with Republic Act 7323.
The law seeks to help students gain workplace experience and make some money they can use for enrollment.
 
Magno said the Spes caters to students 18 to 24 years old, who are enrolled for the current school year.
He added that out-of-school youths can also avail themselves of the program, provided that they are going to enroll after the summer job.

Magno said the 20-day summer job will start on April 10 to May 7 for the first batch, while the second batch will report for duty on May 8 to June 4.