Manila: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has revised the guidelines of the Government Internship Program (GIP) to better prepare Filipino youth for long-term careers in public service. Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino signed Department Order No. 204-C, Series of 2026 on July 14 to strengthen the program's implementation and provide greater protection for government interns and partner agencies.
According to Philippines News Agency, the updated guidelines provide greater flexibility in determining internship durations and establish a mechanism to transfer interns to another partner agency when an internship is pre-terminated through no fault of the intern. The revised Department Order provides for an internship duration of three to six months and may be renewed for another six months.
Upon the recommendation of a partner agency, interns who qualify for renewal must be assigned tasks that will enable them to acquire competencies aligned with potential contractual, casual, or permanent positions in government service. Beyond providing short-term income, the DOLE added that the program serves as a stepping stone toward public service careers for young Filipinos, reinforcing the Department's thrust to equip Filipino youth with future-ready skills by fostering synergy among academe, government, and industry.
To ensure that returning interns continue to benefit from meaningful learning opportunities, the DOLE noted that partner agencies must submit a recommendation that includes the intern's performance evaluation, the competencies that still require enhancement, and the agency's intent to hire or absorb the intern, subject to the intern's willingness and applicable Civil Service Commission rules and regulations. The revised guidelines also safeguard interns affected by circumstances beyond their control.
If an internship is pre-terminated through no fault of the intern or due to force majeure or other extraordinary circumstances, the DOLE may facilitate the intern's transfer to another partner agency, provided there is an available placement, a new internship agreement is executed, and the remaining internship period does not exceed the unserved portion of the original internship. According to a report from the Bureau of Local Employment, a total of 14,818 Filipino youth gained government internship experience under the program to date.
