In an effort to keep the students in the classrooms and prevent them from dropping out, the City Government, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the Public Employment Services Office (PESO), have started implementing a National Government initiative dubbed as Government Internship Program (GIP).

At least 110 youths identified through the Pagasa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) – Valenzuela City Chapter will initially benefit from the program which aims to provide youths aged 17 to 24 years old with employment opportunities within the City Government.  They will be working for a maximum of one month per semester until they graduate from their course.

This capacity-building initiative was designed to help alleviate poverty in the country by sustaining their education.  Most of the beneficiaries have dropped in and out of school due to financial reasons.

The program caters to the most underpriviledged residents of the city whose combined annual family income is at PhP 20,000.  Those who will pass the assessment will be assigned to government facilities, such as, Day Care and Health Centers, as well as the Bahay Kalinga, a shelter for women, children and the elderly for which they will receive a salary of PhP 303 per day or a take home salary of PhP 4,500.

However, the CSWDO requires applicants to have graduated from high school and at least enrolled to any post-secondary education program.  “Their earnings should be able to help them get through the school expenses,” Program Coordinator Cecille Sebastian said.

CSWDO Officer-in-Charge Dorothy G. Evangelista stressed that “these requirements will help us determine if the grantee really has the intention to continue and finish tertiary education and not just to get employed right away using the program,” she said.

“This is exactly why the GIP was made,” Evangelista stressed.

The City Government has initially allotted PhP 1.5 million for the project, with an additional Php 500,000 funding from the office of District 1 City Councilor Antonio R. Espiritu.

- Mark Lester S. Cayabyab ( 06-09-2011)