Government Internship Program (Gip) Act

Senate Offite of the Secretarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NOV 17 P3:37 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1528 Senate Bill No. Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION EXPLANATORY NOTE This bill seeks to institutionalize the Government Internship Program (GIP) as a structured pathway for young Filipinos to build a career in public service. It envisions the GIP as a youth employment bridging program that provides hands-on learning and leadership formation in government, rather than as a social assistance initiative or an additional source of maintenance and operating personnel. The GIP traces its roots to the President's Youth Work Program (PYWP) under Executive Order No. 139, Series of 1993, also known as KABATAAN:2000. It was designed to introduce the youth to public service by engaging them in government programs and projects implemented through various departments and agencies. Over time, however, the program has evolved differently across implementing institutions. Under Department Order No. 204, series of 2019, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) expanded the GIP beyond its original purpose of providing internships for youth. It now operates more as a short-term employment assistance program, similar to the Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Youth Commission (NYC) limit participation to individuals aged 18 to 25 and from families below the regional poverty threshold.

In practice, the GIP has also become a mechanism for hiring temporary personnel to support program implementation, often resembling job order (JO) or contract of service (COS) arrangements. Without clear institutional safeguards, it risks being used as a stopgap hiring tool or worse, as a conduit for political patronage. This bill seeks to strengthen the GIP as a genuine internship program focused on youth employability and training for future public sector leaders. It distinguishes internships from social protection programs such as TUPAD or Cash-for-Work, emphasizing capacity-building and career preparation rather than short-term income support. The proposed measure complements existing employment-bridging programs such as the JobStart Philippines Act (Republic Act No. 10869) and the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) (Republic Act No. 7323, as amended by Republic Acts No. 9547 and 10917). It establishes an Inter-Agency Committee on GIP, chaired by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), to standardize modules, ensure program integrity, and oversee implementation across government. The Committee shall include the NYC, DOLE, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Budget and Management (DBM). In institutionalizing the GIP, this bill reaffirms the government's commitment to investing in the youth as future leaders of public service, ensuring that internships are purposeful, merit-based, and aligned with national development priorities. The passage of this bill is earnestly sought. JOEL VILLANUEVAQ

Senate Office of the Secretarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session NOV 17 P3:37 RECEIVED BY: SENATE Senate Bill No. 1528 Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Government

Internship Program (GIP) Act."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the

youth in nation-building and commits to promoting their meaningful participation in public and civic affairs. It shall ensure equal access to opportunities in public service 6 and nurture their potential to become competent and principled leaders of 7 government. To this end, the State shall institutionalize a Government Internship Program that provides practical, hands-on learning experiences for senior high school, college, and technical-vocational students, as well as recent graduates, who aspire to pursue a career in public service. The Program shall be implemented across national government agencies and local government units, with adequate resources and a clear institutional framework to sustain its continuity and integrity.

SEC. 3. Objectives. - A Government Internship Program (GIP) is hereby

2 established as a structured employment pathway for the youth to build a career in public service. It shall have the following objectives: To provide young Filipinos with opportunities to acquire practical and hands-on learning experiences in the various facets of public service within national government agencies and local government units, and to cultivate in them the values and competencies required of future public sector leaders; b) To facilitate access to employment opportunities in the private or public sector by providing recent graduates with soft skills and work experience; and 10 c) To assist senior high school, college, and technical-vocational students in augmenting their educational expenses through compensated internships that promote both learning and productivity.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms

are defined: a) GIP Certificate refers to a certification that shall be jointly issued by the appropriate Civil Service Commission (CSC) in the region and institution implementing internship program after completion and assessment of the competencies acquired by the intern; 19 b GIP Graduate refers to an intern who has completed and undergone the full duration of the program and was issued a GIP Certificate; c) Intern refers to a young individual enrolled in high school, college, or a technical- vocational student, or recent graduate, selected in accordance with the CSC guidelines and undergoing internship in an institution; d) Internship refers to practical and hands-on job training in a regular work environment, either in an LGU or institution or offices for a period of three (3) to six (6) months, based on a training module/s; e) Institution refers to any of the various units of the government including departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities, state universities and colleges (SUCs), local government units (LGUs), government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and government financial institutions (GFIs) implementing an internship program pursuant to this Act; and

1 f) Mentor refers to the intern's direct supervisor or the institution's internship facilitator.

SEC. 5. Government Internship Program (GIP). - The GIP shall be a

training on-the-job modality to build a career in public service, pursuant to the 5 objectives provided in Section 3 of this Act. The internship shall be a year-round, 6 hands-on training at participating institutions, based on standard modules and 7 guidelines. The internship shall be for a duration of at least three (3) months but not more than six (6) months, unless a different duration is set by the Inter-Agency on GIP.

SEC. 6. Inter-Agency Committee on GIP. - An Inter-Agency Committee on

11 GIP (IAC) is hereby created to ensure the effective implementation of the internship program and to act as the Oversight Committee under Section 15 of this Act. The CSC shall chair the IAC with members from National Youth Commission (NYC), DOLE, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Budget and Management (DBM). They shall formulate and issue the necessary modules and guidelines, and shall require all participating institutions to submit a report on their GIP implementation and absorption or placement of graduate interns within fifteen days (15) after end of every internship term. The report shall also include a proposal for innovations, improvements and rationalization needed, if any, for integration into the program.

SEC. 7. Obligation of the Participating Institutions. - The participating

institutions shall designate an internship facilitator/coordinator who shall be responsible for: a) Registering the institution's internship program in the CSC database and monitoring system; b) Undergoing CSC training on the modules and administration of the internship program, which shall ensure that: (1) The internship is exclusively on the official functions or within the scope of work specified in the CSC registered internship program of the host institutions; thus, unofficial functions or outside the scope of work is strictly prohibited;

(2) The intern shall be a Filipino citizen, at least 18 years old but not more than 30 years of age at the time of the application period, with a family income of below the regional poverty threshold in the region of residence, and can avail of the program only once; (3) At least one percent of the total interns in the institution shall include Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Indigenous Peoples, and other applicants from the marginalized sectors. No applicant for internship must be discriminated against based on his/her gender, race, religion and economic status; and (4) The intern must not be related within the third civil degree of affinity or consanguinity to an official or employee of the participating institution. C) Ensuring the effective program information dissemination/campaign, including in educational institutions in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Local Government Units (LGUs); d) Conduct screening, processing, and orientation or onboarding of interns in accordance with the identified scope of the internship program. Orientation or onboarding of interns shall include but is not limited to, the following: (1) Government Internship Program (GIP) Rationale; (2) Institutional mandate, organizational structure, relevant office policies and procedures, programs, and projects; (3) Interpersonal relations and gender sensitivity; (4) Work ethics and professionalism; and (5) Code of Conduct of Public Employees (RA 6713). e) Mentoring of interns by requiring that the immediate supervisor to mentor, coach, and conduct performance evaluation of the intern at least twice for the entire duration of internship.

SEC. 8. Internship Allowance and Training Hours. - Upon entry into the

internship program, interns shall be provided with a stipend in an amount equivalent to 100% of the existing rate of Step 1, Salary Grade 1, pursuant to Republic Act No. 11466, as amended, otherwise known as the "Government Salary Standardization Law," and shall be non-taxable.

The amount of the stipend shall be based on the intern's actual attendance, absences, and tardiness incurred. It shall be paid in accordance with existing civil service laws, rules, and regulations. Subject to budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations, the institution shall provide additional entitlements to the interns such as: 6 a) Transportation and meal provisions during activities that are held outside of the day-to-day office trainings; b) Compensatory time off in case of activities held during weekends, holidays, or beyond office hours; 10 c) Incentives and rewards in acknowledgement of remarkable achievements (i.e., punctuality, perfect attendance); and d) Social protection, such as, but not limited to, accident insurance with either private or public insurance entities such as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

SEC. 9. Commencement of Internship. - Upon qualification, the internship

program shall commence upon the issuance of the Order of Acceptance, which shall serve as the official Internship Contract between the intern and the participating institution. 19 The Contract shall be executed and signed by the designated internship facilitator or coordinator on behalf of the head of the institution and the intern. It shall clearly outline the terms of reference, scope of work, duration of the internship, and other relevant conditions, and shall expressly state that no employer-employee relationship exists between the intern and the institution.

SEC. 10. Termination of Internship. - The Internship Contract may be

terminated by either party for just cause, subject to due notice. a) By the institution. The internship may be terminated on any of the following grounds: (1) Habitual absenteeism or tardiness of the intern; (2) Willful disobedience by the intern of the institution's rules, or insubordination of a lawful order of a supervisor; (3) Theft or malicious destruction of the institution's property by the intern;

(4) Engaging in violence or other forms of misconduct in the internship or institution's premises by the intern; and (5) Continued poor performance despite written warnings and mentoring interventions. By the intern. The internship may be terminated on any of the following grounds: (1) Substandard or harmful working conditions within the institution's premises (2) Cruel, inhumane or discriminatory treatment; or (3) Prolonged illness or other circumstances rendering the intern unable to continue participation. Either party shall provide written notice of intent to terminate, specifying the grounds therefor. In the event of termination, the institution may select a replacement intern, subject to the same screening and selection procedures.

SEC. 11. Preference in Hiring. - Completion of the internship shall not create

an employer-employee relationship between the intern and the participating institution. However, GIP graduates who meet the qualification standards for vacant 17 government positions shall be given preference in hiring, consistent with merit and fitness principles under existing civil service laws, rules, and regulations.

SEC. 12. Civil Service Eligibility. - To further strengthen the employment

pathway for GIP graduates, all interns shall be encouraged to take the appropriate Civil Service examination upon completion of their internship. Passing the examination shall qualify them for appointment to permanent positions in government, subject to existing civil service laws, rules, and regulations.

SEC. 13. Grievance Committee. - A Grievance Committee shall be constituted

in every participating institution to address complaints or disputes arising from the implementation of the internship program. The Committee shall be composed of officials and representatives of the institution with jurisdiction over the internship, and shall have the initial authority to investigate and resolve such complaints in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. If the Committee fails to render a decision within a reasonable period, or if the complaint involves any of its members, the matter shall be referred to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for appropriate action.

SEC. 14. Program Management. - The CSC shall serve as the overall program

manager of the GIP and shall provide the necessary technical and administrative assistance to all participating institutions. The CSC's regional and field offices shall supervise and monitor the implementation of the Program in their respective jurisdiction, and shall conduct regular training for the effective the implementation of the GIP.

SEC. 15. Oversight Committee. - The Inter-Agency Committee on GIP

established under Section 6 of this Act shall also serve as the Oversight Committee for the Program. It shall include representatives from the youth sector and public sector unions to ensure inclusivity and transparency in implementation. The Committee shall regularly review the accomplishments and outcomes of the Program, including the employability, placement, and retention rates of GIP graduates. It shall submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines and to Congress not later than June 30 of the following year, containing its findings and policy recommendations to strengthen and sustain the Program.

SEC. 16. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of

this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the participating institution. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of the Government Internship Program shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act of the participating institution, which shall not be less than one percent (1%) of the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).

SEC. 17. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is

declared unconstitutional, the remainder hereof or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,

executive order, letter of instruction, rule, or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 19. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,