“Life is not smooth and not great all the time, it's all about difficulty, adventure and

taking risks.”This is
my own version of a quote that I always put in my mind.

I am a child without properties or should I say I am not a child with a silver spoon. But I am a child that
has a loving and supportive family ever, for that I can say that I’m still the lucky one.

I’ve been playing with my younger siblings before during my senior high school vacation to be specific
I was just Grade 11 that time because I belong to the first batch of K-12, when my Aunt told me and
encourage me that there is a SPES/GIP hiring at our Municipal Hall and this is the first time that our
municipality propose it.

At first, I hesitated because I told myself that I am only a High School Student at that time and even
Im not yet graduated . But unfortunately may dedication to learn more knowledge and also my
curiosity kills me and I decided to try it and take a risk. I took an interview and written exam back then
and luckily I’ve been one of those who passed and got hired for only 20 days of office work.

The first day of this SPES program, I was quite frightened and had poor self esteem. Because all the
hired people were already college students but I told myself that I will do my best wherever the
department that Sir Alvin would assign me. And I know I did well. Because all of my department heads
just give me a lot of trust.

I remembered when I was SPES Baby , one of my bosses asked me to receive his salary. I am glad
that time because they treated me as really one of them and a person/employee that can be trusted
with.

The best thing that I learned for being a SPES Employee for the 4 th time every summer vacation
when I entered nursing school, is that It really enhance my communication skills in the field of work
and also school retention, improves my employability, assists students like me in transitioning the
importance of education in a youth back then. The salary I’ve earned helps a lot not only for me but
also for my parents. I used it when I enrolled in college to pay my miscellaneous fee and the rest I
used it to buy my nursing books.

So I can say that the SPES Program is very helpful to the students who encountered poverty like us.
To those who are SPES Baby for now I can say that just focus on your goal and study hard because I
know your hard work will pay off someday.I will just tell you that being a student we must be patient
enough to face hard times.

Just keep struggling and working hard. Your hard work will never go in vain. The efforts that we make
are counted. Never hurry to attain success because one can not attain success in a day. I can not
say that I am already successful but I can say that I just opened a door of achievement that I and my
parents can be proud of.

For that I Alyssa H. Ferrer, May 2023 PNLE Passer as a first taker, I would like to give a big thanks
and internal gratitude to DOLE and to my home town Municipal hall for the opportunity that they gave
to me before. Thank You so much.
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From a SPES Baby to PNLE Passer, This is the #SPESSuccessStory of Alyssa Ferrer

“Life is not smooth and not great all the time, it's all about difficultness, adventure
and taking risks.” Alyssa Ferrer shares. As she filled with hesitation and curiosity, her dedication to
gain knowledge and help her parents made her take the risk as a SPES beneficiary at a young age.