CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development will accommodate some 7,000 applicants for summer jobs as part of its Expanded Government Internship Program (GIP).
DSWD public information officer Jaybee Binghay told The Freeman that students, college graduates and graduates of vocational courses including community youths who are unemployed are welcome to apply.
Those who will be hired will be deployed to the different centers and institutions, project sites and various field and team offices of DSWD accross the region. They will assist in the implementation of the numerous DSWD programs and projects.
“This program also serves as a recruitment mechanism for potential public employees. Participants shall be posted into a manpower reservoir from which DSWD-7 can draw regular workforce by the time they qualify for public employment. While doing this, DSWD can also help provide financial assistance for the youths especially during school enrolment,” Binghay said.
Under the expanded program, the interns will be provided with stipend commensurate to the region’s applicable minimum wage. Applicants may start work immediately and will have to complete 52 days of work. They may also do direct service through field work in communities where DSWD programs and projects are implemented in partnership with local government units.
The GIP, a component of the government’s Kabataan 2000 initiative that started in 1993, aims to initiate the youth to public service and extend possible financial assistance for the next school year.
Likewise, the GIP allows out-of-school youth, students not enrolled for the summer term and even unemployed vocational or college graduates, to augment their family income this summer and develop their skills in preparation for future employment.
Binghay said that in Region Vll there are pre-identified and prioritized recruitment from 10 Local Government Units (LGUs) that have organized Pag-Asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) groups.
Interested applicants can go to the nearest DSWD office nationwide to submit their applications together with a photocopy of their birth certificates.
The DSWD will be hiring 90,865 youths nationwide with a budget allocation of more than P1.3 billion.
The regular Government Internship Program for 2012 will still be implemented with a budget allocation of P1.8 million. – (FREEMAN)