THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development  announced it will accept applications for its Government Internship Program  from May 19 to 21, giving young Filipinos a chance to gain valuable experience in public service.

DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the GIP is part of the Kabataan 2000 program, a government initiative that provides college students with hands-on exposure to the operations of various government agencies.

“This is an opportunity for college students to learn life skills in the workplace and, at the same time, earn money to help with their school expenses,” Dumlao said.

The program is open to college students aged 18 to 25, preferably those entering their third or fourth year in the upcoming school year. To qualify, applicants must come from families with a monthly income not exceeding the regional poverty threshold set by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

A total of 75 internship slots will be offered at each of the DSWD’s 16 field offices, while 35 slots will be available at the DSWD Central Office in Batasan Road, Quezon City.

Interns will serve for 30 working days and receive a stipend equivalent to 75% of the regional minimum wage as of November 2022. The internship period coincides with the summer school break, allowing students to make productive use of their vacation.

Central Office interns will assist with administrative tasks such as document tracking, report encoding, and inter-office coordination. Those assigned to field offices will support the operations and programs of DSWD’s regional branches.

Since its launch in 2017, the GIP has benefited nearly 8,000 students nationwide.

Applicants for the Central Office may contact Verlan Rosales, youth program focal person of the DSWD’s Protective Services Bureau, at [email protected], or apply online via this link from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 19 to 21. Students from other regions may coordinate with their respective DSWD field offices. The directory is available at www.dswd.gov.ph.