Gov’t interns get paid, finally

Stipend for government interns was finally distributed on September 27 at the San Carlos City Hall Lobby.

CSWDO Head Cynthia Mirande counts the cash to be given to interns as their stipend.
 

Although they did not receive the amount promised to them upon applying for the Expanded Government Internship program, an intern eagerly signs her check at the table set by the City Social Welfare and Development Office. Eduardo Guevarra, from DSWD Region VI was also present to supervise the distribution. 

After waiting for more than two months, the 322 interns of the Expanded-Government Internship Program of the city each received roughly  P 4,000. EGIP is a national program for the youth implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and is designed to help out-of-school youth (OSY), unemployed college graduates, and college students who could barely afford to continue their schooling.

DBM to blame

Eduardo Guevarra, focal person for the youth from the DSWD Field Office VI in Iloilo City, said the distribution was long delayed because of problems during the release of the budget for EGIP from the Department of Budget and Management. Guevarra added that it was unfortunate the program was implemented at a time when school year 2012-2013 was also about to open.

P-Noy, Soliman's decision

The focal person for DSWD Region VI also added that Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and President Benigno Aquino III decided to release budget for only 17 percent of the interns recruited per local government unit after realizing that some Filipino youths also want to enroll in technical and vocational courses.

This program will now be addressed through the Cash for Training that will be implemented through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

San Carlos case

Geuvarra also admitted that the problem compounded for San Carlos because of the early deployment of interns when the official communication from the national office actually mandated that the EGIP work period was supposed to start on June 4 and end on August 14.

The early deployment was due to the city's hosting of the Pag-Asa Youth Association Summer Camp on the first week of June.

91 interns in San Carlos were supposed to receive a complete stipend worth P 14,000 but internal arrangements were made to enable an equal distribution of P 4,000 each for all interns.

Meanwhile, Guevarra said at least 60 scholars are expected to benefit from the

P 20,000 worth of technical and vocational training under the Cash for Training program. Next month, the orientation for this program's implementation will already start.