McDonalds to employ 280 out-of-school kids

CEBU, Philippines - At least 280 out-of-school youth will be made beneficiaries of a partnership between the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7 and McDonald’s Corporation.

The beneficiaries will be employed by the popular fastfood chain for 52 days at four to eight hours for six days a week.

Last March, DOLE-7 and McDonald’s Corporation signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the latter to shoulder 60 percent of the P305 daily minimum wage of the beneficiaries and for DOLE to provide the remaining 40 percent.

McDonald’s will spend around P2.8 million while DOLE-7 has set aside P1.8 million for the program.

“This is an effort to promote youth employment in Cebu. We acknowledge the need of our OSYs to get jobs and save money when they go back to school. Our OSYs are considered untapped resource; most of them are skilled, unfortunately employment opportunity is limited, that is why we tapped the private sectors to join us in our campaign to provide jobs for the youth,” said DOLE Regional Director Ma. Gloria Tango.

Under the MOA, hiring will be done through the Public Employment Service Office of each participating local government unit, Tango said.

The first batch of 56 beneficiaries will start on June 21 and end on August 31. The second batch will commence work on September 3 up to November 16 and the last batch will begin on November 19 until January 22.

The 280 beneficiaries will be distributed to the 14 McDonald’s outlets in Metro Cebu, including the outlets in Jones Avenue, Ayala Center, JY Square, Fuente Osmeña circle, Cebu South Road, IT Park, Colon, SM City, and Escario Street in Cebu City, J Center Mall and main branch in Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Barangay Tabunok in Talisay City.

The beneficiaries are given more or less 52 days to work and shall receive the full P305 daily wage plus a chance to become a regular employee of McDonald’s. The partnership supports the objective of providing jobs to all young Filipino jobseekers nationwide under the Special Program for Employment Students. Prior to their actual duties, the beneficiaries will undergo series of trainings covering customer service, personality development, and safety.

Tango said that work schedules shall be limited to day shifts only from Monday to Sunday for eight hours a day with the corresponding rest day. This exposure gives chance for out-of-school youth to experience the world of work and learn the important lessons along the way like positive work attitude, team work, honesty, and discipline.

“It is our vision that this program will continue and expand, as we continue our advocacy with the private sector to join us and provide youth employment that will take our youth sector away from the hazards and temptations of society,” Tango added. (FREEMAN)