SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate 8iU No. 2759 
'15 
MAY 11 
P 3 :43 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF R.A. 9547 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING AND eXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE 
SPECIAL. PROGRAM FOR EMPL.OYMENT OF STUDENTS, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE PROVISIONS OF R.A. 7323, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
SPECIAL. PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) was instituted under 
Republic Act No. 7323 in early 1992 to help poor but deserving students in 
pursuing their education by encouraging their employment during summer and/or 
Christmas vacations. 
In 2009, Republic Act No. 7323 was amended by Republic Act No. 9547, 
expanding the coverage of SPES to include poor but deserving students aged 15 
to 25 years old to help them pursue their education through employment during 
summer or Christmas vacations, or anytime of the year for those enrolled in 
tertiary, vocational or technical education for the period of twenty (20) to fifty.two 
(52) working days. 
While it is recognized that SPES as an employment bridging program has 
changed the lives of many Filipino youth, it cannot be denied that the 
implementation of the program has encountered multitude of problems, both 
procedural and substantial. The current program covers only currently enrolled 
students, depriving other disadvantaged youth to pursue education. Difficulty is 
also encountered as to the mode of payment of wages to the beneficiaries. 
Thus, this bill proposes to strengthen the program by allowing the employment 
not only of poor but deserving students but also out·of-school youth, dependents 
of displaced workers or would-be displaced workers due to business closures or 
work stoppages intending to enroll in any secondary, tertiary or technical-
vocational institutions. The Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) shall 
provide employment facilitation services to the applicants. 
Also, this bill seeks to change the mode of payment of salaries and wages by the 
government from vouchers to cash to be paid directly by the Department of Labor 
and Employment (DOLE) to the student or through financial institutions or other 
payment facilities. The government share (40%) shall be paid within thirty (30) 


working days upon submission of the report on the payment of wages or salaries 
by the participating establishment. 
With the improvement and expansion of the Special Program for .Employment of 
Students, it is hoped that this will allow more Filipino youth to pursue their 
education towards a better future through easy access to the program. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
GGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
"15 
YIAY 11 
P 3 :43 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
2759 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JtNGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF R.A. 9547 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE 
SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE PROVISIONS OF R.A. 7323, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Section 1 of RA 9547 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
2 
3 
"SEC. 
1. 
Any 
provision 
of 
law 
to 
the 
contrary 
4 
notwithstanding, any person or entity employing at least ten (10) 
5 
persons may employ poor but deserving students, OUT-OF-
6 
SCHOOL YOUTH (OSY), OR, DEPENDENT/S OF A DISPLACED 
7 
OR WOULD-BE DISPLACED WORKERIS DUE TO BUSINESS 
8 
CLOSURES OR WORK STOPPAGES INTENDING TO ENROLL 
9 
IN ANY SECONDARY, TERTIARY OR TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL 
10 
INSTITUTIONS, fifteen (15) years of age but not more than {twenty-
11 
five (25») THIRTY (30) years old, paying them a salary or wage not 
12 
lower than the minimum wage for private employers and the 
13 
applicable hiring rate for the national and local government 
14 
agencies: Provided, that student enrolled in the secondary level 
15 
shall only be employed during summer and/or Christmas vacations, 
16 
while those enrolled in the tertiary, vocational or technical education 
17 
may be employed at any time of the year: Provided, further, That 
18 
their period of employment shall be from twenty (20) to fifty-two (52) 
19 
working days only, except that during Christmas vacation, 
20 
employment shall be from ten (10) to fifteen (15) days which may 
21 
be counted as part of the stUdents' probationary period should they 
22 
apply 
in 
the 
same 
company 
or 
agency 
after 
23 
graduation: Provided, finally, That stUdents employed in activities 
24 
related to their course may earn equivalent academic credits as 
25 
may be determined by the appropriate government agencies. 
26 
27 
"For purposes of this Act, poor but deserving students AND 
28 
OSY refer to those whose parents' combined income, together with 
29 
their own, if any, does not exceed the annual regional poverty 
30 
threshold level for a family of six (6) for the preceding year as may 
1 


1 
be determined by the National Economic and Development 
2 
Authority (NEDA). 
3 
4 
"EMPLOYMENT 
FACILITATION 
SERVICES 
FOR 
5 
APPLICANTS TO THE PROGRAM SHALL BE DONE BY THE 
6 
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OFFICE (PESO). 
7 
8 
"Participating employers in coordination with the PESO, 
9 
must inform their SPES employees of their rights, benefits, and 
10 
privileges under existing laws, company policies, and employment 
11 
contracts." 
12 
13 
14 
SEC 2. Section 2 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
15 
16 
"SEC. 2. Sixty per centum (60%) of the said salary or wage 
17 
shall be paid by the employers in cash and forty per centum (40%) 
18 
by the government [in the form of a voucher} ALSO IN THE FORM 
19 
OF CASH DIRECTLY TO THE STUDENT, OR THROUGH 
20 
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OR OTHER PAYMENT FACILITIES, 
21 
SUBJECT TO THE EXISTING RULES ON PROCUREMENT,which 
22 
shall be applicable in the payment for the students' tuition fees, 
23 
[and] books,AND OTHER EDUCATION-RELATED EXPENSES, 
24 
INCLUDING 
THEIR 
DAILY ALLOWANCE 
IN 
GOING 
TO 
25 
SCHOOL[in any educational institution for secondary, tertiary, 
26 
vocational or technical education]: Provided, That local government 
27 
units (LGUs) may assume responsibility for paying in full his salary 
28 
or wages. THE 40% SHARE SHALL BE PAID WITHIN THIRTY 
29 
(30) WORKING DAYS UPON SUBMISSION OF THE PARTNER-
30 
EMPLOYER OR PARTICIPATING ESTABLISHMENT OF THEIR 
31 
REPORT ON PAYMENT OF SALARY OR WAGES WHICH SHALL 
32 
BE THE BASIS OF THE 40% SALARY OR WAGES TO BE PAID 
33 
BY THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF 
34 
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT. [The amount of the education 
35 
vouchers shall be paid by the government to the educational 
36 
institutions concerned within thirty (30) days from its presentation to 
37 
the officer or agency designated by the Secretary of Finance.] 
38 
39 
"IN CASE OF SICKNESS, ABSENCE, OR DEATH OF THE 
40 
SPES BENEFICIARY, THE IMMEDIATE HEIRS MAY CLAIM 
41 
HIS/HER SALARY, PROVIDED, THAT PROOF TO THIS EFFECT 
42 
HAS BEEN CLEARLY ESTABLISHED. 
43 
44 
"LIKEWISE, 
THE 
SPES 
BENEFICIARY 
SHALL 
BE 
45 
ENTITLED TO SOCIAL PROTECTION BY VIRTUE OF AN 
46 
INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE 
47 
AND INSURANCE COMMISSION (GSIS) FOR A PERIOD OF 
48 
ONE YEAR. 
49 
50 
"[The vouchers shall not be transferable except when the 
51 
payees thereof dies or for a justifiable cause stops in his duties, in 
52 
which case it can be transferred to his brothers or sisters. If there 
53 
be none, the amount thereof shall be paid his heirs or to the payee 
54 
himself, as the case may be.]" 
55 
56 
57 
2 


I 
SEC 3. Section 3 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
2 
3 
"SEC. 3. [The Secretary of Labor and Employment, the 
4 
Secretary of Education, the Chairman of the Commission on Higher 
5 
Education, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the 
6 
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and the Secretary of 
7 
Finance shall issu(;l the corresponding rules and regulations to carry 
8 
out the purposes of this act. 
9 
10 
"The Secretary of Labor and Employment shall be the 
11 
Program Chairman."] 
12 
13 
"THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT 
14 
SHALL 
ISSUE 
THE 
IMPLEMENTING 
RULES 
AND 
15 
REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT. 
16 
FURTHER, THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
17 
LABOR 
AND 
EMPLOYMENT, 
MAY 
ISSUE 
ADDITIONAL 
18 
GUIDELINES WHICH MAY BE OEEMEDAPPROPRIATE AND AS 
19 
NECESSITY ARISES; PROVIDED THAT THE ISSUANCE BE IN 
20 
THE FORM OF A DEPARTMENT ORDER." 
21 
22 
23 
SEC 4. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby deleted. 
24 
25 
26 
SEC 5. Section 5 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
27 
28 
"SEC. [5] 4.The Secretary of the Department of Labor and 
29 
Employment shall include in the Department's program the 
30 
operationalization 
of 
the 
expanded 
Special 
Program 
for 
31 
Employment of Students, INCLUDING THE MAINTENANCE OF 
32 
AN ONLINE DATABASE REGISTRY FOR MONITORING OF 
33 
SPES BENEFICIARIES. 
34 
35 
"The amount necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act 
36 
is 
hereby authorized to be appropriated 
in 
the General 
37 
Appropriations Act for 1992 and the subsequent annual general 
38 
appropriations acts: Provided that the appropriation, for the 
39 
purposes of this Act shall not be reduced by Congress below the 
40 
amount appropriated for the previous year and, after approval; shall 
41 
be automatically and regularly released: Provided, further, That the 
42 
appropriation herein shall be increased by at least 20 per centum 
43 
(20%) annually." 
44 
45 
46 
SEC 6. Section 6 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
47 
48 
"SEC.[6] 5.lf any provision or part of this Act, or the 
49 
application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid or 
50 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or the application of such 
51 
provision or part thereof to other persons or circumstances shall not 
52 
be affected thereby." 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
3 


1 
SEC 7. Section 7 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
2 
3 
"SEC. [7) 6.AII laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations 
4 
or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
5 
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly." 
6 
7 
8 
SEC 8. Section 8 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
9 
10 
"SEC. [8) 7.This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
11 
its complete publication in the Official Gazetteor in at least two (2) 
12 
newspapers of general and national circulation, whichever comes 
13 
earlier." 
14 
15 
16 
SEC 9. 
Separability Clause. -
If any provIsion of this Act is declared 
17 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
18 
provisions thereof. 
19 
20 
21 
SEC 10. 
Repealing Clause. -
All laws, executive orders, presidential 
22 
proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the 
23 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
24 
25 
26 
SEC 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
27 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of 
28 
general circulation. 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
Approved, 
4