Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said he is prioritizing programs aimed at preparing Filipino youth for future industries and emerging occupations through the agency’s youth employability initiatives, including the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).

Tolentino said young Filipinos must be equipped with skills that match the demands of a rapidly evolving labor market.

“We expect to do something for the youth. I have been saying this: the training that should be provided to the youth should not be for the jobs of yesterday, but for the jobs of the future. We need to train our youth for the jobs of the future,” Tolentino said.

The SPES program is designed to assist poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers by providing short-term employment opportunities during school breaks.

The program allows beneficiaries to earn income that can be used for tuition, school supplies and other educational expenses while gaining valuable work experience.

Beyond financial assistance, SPES helps participants develop practical workplace skills, improve their employability and prepare them for future careers.

The initiative also supports the administration’s commitment under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to address unemployment, reduce poverty and narrow the job-skills mismatch affecting many young Filipinos entering the workforce.