In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s continued push to boost youth engagement and education support, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to hire more than 1,200 interns for its central and field offices to provide them with financial aid and government work experience, Malacañang announced Wednesday.

The DSWD announced that a total of 1,235 interns will be hired, with 75 slots allocated for each of the 16 Field Offices (FO) and 35 slots for the central office in Batasan Road, Quezon City.

“May pagkakataon po kayong sumali sa Government Internship Program (GIP) ng Department of Social Welfare and Development,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a briefing in Malacañang.

The GIP application is open to college students aged 18-25, preferably incoming 3rd—and 4th-year students during the coming school year.

The applicant’s monthly family income should not exceed the Philippine Statistics Authority’s latest regional poverty threshold.

Castro said that each individual selected for GIP will receive a stipend in exchange for 30 working days of service.

The DSWD said the GIP is one component of the Kabataan 2000 program initiated by the government. This program offers hands-on experience while working in various government agencies.

Those stationed at the FOs will support the operations of the DSWD regional units.

From 2017 to 2024, close to 8,000 college students have benefited from the initiative, which provided them with practical exposure and a deeper understanding of public service, the DSWD said. | PND