Manila: Junior high school students are now eligible for the Government Internship Program (GIP) under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), marking a significant expansion of the program's scope. An official from the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) announced the inclusion and other enhancements to the program, which aims to provide young individuals with hands-on experience in government work.

According to Philippines News Agency, BLE officer-in-charge Assistant Secretary Patrick Patriwirawan revealed in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon that the program, which previously did not include junior high school students, will now extend its opportunities to them. Additionally, the duration of the internships has been extended to up to one year, allowing participants more time to gain valuable experience in public service.

The GIP offers internship opportunities for high school, technical-vocational, or college graduates interested in pursuing careers in either local or national government. With the recent changes, the program currently supports 43,658 interns, with ongoing efforts to collaborate with various national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) for placing interns to gain work experience.

Meanwhile, Patriwirawan also provided updates on the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), noting that 87,588 beneficiaries have been recorded this year. Although last year's beneficiaries numbered 102,973, expectations are set to surpass the 100,000 target this year. SPES offers temporary employment to financially challenged students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced workers during school breaks, with beneficiaries selected through a screening process to verify their low-income status.

Currently, 1,200 to 1,400 private sector companies are involved in implementing SPES. Patriwirawan emphasized their ongoing efforts to secure increased funding to expand the program's reach and accommodate more beneficiaries.