Republic of the Phdippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Duczon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. 8222

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In Article Il Section 13 of our 1987 Constitution, the State recognizes the vital role of
the youth in nation-building and shall therefore inculcate patriotism and nationalism
and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. In engaging the youth at
an early age, we instill in them a desire to serve the country and make public service
an ideal and aspirational track for the future.

This proposed Government Internship Program Act (GIP Act) seeks to institutionalize
the implementation of the GIP nationwide, which is designed to engage the youth in
public service and train prospective civil servants. The GIP aims to help nurture the
youth sector in public service and let them experience first-hand what it entails to be
a public servant.

The youth has always been imagined as the future of this nation — by
institutionalizing programs like the GIP, we move closer to achieving a present that is
bright and filled with optimism.

The proposed bill provides for the guidelines and mechanism of recruitment for the
internship program as well as the terms of compensation of the prospective interns.
In helping our youth prapare for their respective ensuing plans, at the same time
involving them in the pr of running a nation that will hence be theirs to build, we
are also able to help equip them in facing the challenges that this nation is bound to
face.

Thus, the approval of this bill is urged.

Luis IND “| \Y” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Pldippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Zuczou City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL no8222

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “Govemment Internship
Program (GIP) Act.”

Section. 2. Principle. — The State recognizes the vital responsibility to enable the
youth to fulfil their vital role in nation-building. It is the governing principle of this Act,
that the youth be accorded opportunities through a Government Internship Program
with implementing structures to implement the program and appropriate adequate
funds for its sustained implementation.

Section 3. Objectives. —

a. To provide wider training and development opportunities among the youth
geared towards acquisition and/ or application of knowledge and skills;

b. To contribute in addressing the financial needs of the youth for their
possible educational needs; and

u


c. To involve and introduce the youth in government programs, projects and
activities and instil in them appreciation of public service and the spirit of
volunteerism.

Section 4. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms are
defined:

a. CSC -shall refer to the Civil Service Commission.

b. GIP Certificate — refers to a certification that shall be jointly issued by the
CSC, NYC and the institution after program completion and assessment of
the GIP trainee’s competencies to attest their acquired skills.

c. GIP Graduate — refers to an intern who has completed the program
services and has undergone the full duration of the program.

d. Inter — refers to an eligible beneficiary selected to participate in the GIP.

e. Internship — refers to the practical leaming of a job training of a GIP
Trainee in a regular institution for a period of three (3) to six (6) months, as.
determined by the institution.

f. Institution — refers to Philippine government institutions, state universities
and colleges, local government units, or any other legal entity registered
under relevant laws that any provide a venue for internship of GIP
trainees.

g. Mentor — refers to the intem’s direct supervisor.
h. NYC shall refer to the National Youth Commission.

i. Youth — shalll refer to persons whose ages range from fifteen (15) to thirty
(30) years old.


Section 5. Internship Guidelines. —

a. The inter must be a Filipino age 18 to 25 years old at the time of the
application period.

b. Institutions shall provide consideration to Persons With Disabilities
(PWDs), Indigenous People, and other applicants who belongs to
minorities and the marginalized

c. Institutions shall designate an employee who will serve as GIP Desk
Officer who will oversee the implementation of GIP within the institution.

d. Intemship period shall be a period of at least three (3) to six (6) months at
the most and must implemented on a year-round basis.

e. Upon entry to the internship program, intems shall be provided with a
stipend amounting to 75% of the existing rate of step 1, Salary Grade 1 of
the government salary standardization law; and shall be non-taxable. The
amount of the stipend shall be based on the trainee’s actual attendance,
absences and tardiness incurred shall be deducted therefrom in
accordance with the internship. It shall be paid every 12" and 27°” of the
month at intervals not exceeding sixteen (16) days

f. The institutions, as provided by law, and subject to budgeting, accounting
and auditing rules and regulations, shall provide additional entitlements
‘such as:

i. Transportation and meal provisions during activities that are held
outside of the day to day office trainings.

ii. Compensatory time off in case of activities held during weekends/
holidays and/ or beyond office hours; and

ili, Incentives and rewards in acknowledgement of removable
achievement (i.e.: punctuality, perfect attendance).


9g. An inter shall be a beneficiary of the program only once. As such, Civil
Service Commission (CSC) in coordination with the National Youth
Commission (NYC), shall create and maintain a database which shall
serve as monitoring too! for all institutions.

h. GIP shall not be considered as employment. Thus, there is no employer-
employee relationship between the beneficiary and the institutions. GIP
graduates shall be given preference in the hiring of workers in the
institutions. After career coaching, the institution shall access and
determine whether a GIP graduate is ready to be placed for contractual or
regular work.

Interns are hired for official purposes only. Institutions are prohibited from
assigning tasks which go beyond the official duties.

j. Institutions shall conduct trainings, seminars and other developmental
interventions for the interns including, but not limited to mentoring,
coaching and performance evaluation.

k. Social protection incentives shall be provided to the intems and are
encouraged for consideration by the institutions such as accident
insurance, as they may be applicable. The process can be facilitated with
either public and private insurance entities and public insurance entities
like GSIS, subject to budgetary requirements of the institution

Section 6. Mechanics of Internship. — This process must be followed on the hiring
of interns:

a. Recruitment and Acceptance of GIP Interns
i. Program Advertisement and Recruitment of Interns. — The

Institutions, through their designated GIP Desk Offices, shall ensure
effective information dissemination of the institution implementation


of the GIP including the period of applications. This may include,
but not limited to the following:

1. Promotion/ recruitment of intems for GIP through
institutions, websites and other social networking sites;

Text blasts for applicable institutions;

Print advertisements;

Broadcast media; and

Promotion through educational institutions in coordination
with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher
Education and Local Govemment Units.

2p eon

ji. Applications for intemship

1. Walk-in applicants may submit their accomplished
application forms directly to the GIP Desk Officer.

2. Online applications may also be accepted through official
channels of the institution.

3. Applicants must not be related within 3° degree of affinity
and consanguinity to officials and employees of the
institution.

iii. | Screening of GIP Trainee

1. The screening and acceptance of interns may be initiated
and facilitated by the institution at least three (3) weeks
before the first day of service of the new batch of intems.

2. The screening, however, may not be limited to interviews.

3. The institution shall provide the applicants with a uniform
application form which shall serve as basis of the screening


4. No applicant must be discriminated based on his/ her
gender, race, religion and economic status.

iv. Acceptance of GIP Interns. — Once the selection process is through,
an Order of Acceptance shall serve as their Appointment Paper. It
shall be executed and signed by and between the GIP Desk Officer
and the Intern. It shall stipulate the Terms of Reference for the
compliance of the one who shall be govemed by such document. It
shall also contain that there is "No Employer — Employee
Relationship” between the beneficiary and the hiring institution
given that the program is not an employment opportunity.

b. Orientation of Intems. - The new batch of interns shall attend a general
orientation on or before their first day of training which shall be scheduled
by the GIP Desk Officer.

The orientation covers, but is not limited to the following:

i. Government Intemship Program (GIP) rationale;

ji. Institutional mandate and organizational structure;

iii, Relevant office supplies and procedures;

iv. Specific institutional programs and projects;

v. _ Telephone etiquette/ office decorum;

vi. _ Interpersonal relations;

vii. Code of Conduct of Public Employees (RA 6713); and
viii. Role of Interns in the Government Volunteers Program.

All units under the institution shall send their representatives during the
GIP Orientation to discuss programs, projects, undertakings and activities
of their respective offices.

c. Work Assignments/Tasks of Interns. — Institution officials and staff are
considered mentors of all interns. They shall provide work assignments


and responsibilities that will enhance and enrich the experiences of the
program beneficiaries and develop their knowledge and skills.

The responsibilities assigned to them may include but are not limited to the
following

i. Clerical/ Secretarial Work (i.e.: typing, filing, sorting, photocopying);
ii, Customer Service (i.e.: answering telephone calls, attending to
Official concerns of visitors.)
ii, | Research Work (i.e.: data gathering, survey administration, etc.)
iv. Support by Staff (1e.: logistics, assistance in staff work)

Activity/Program Participation of Interns. — Intem shall be required to
attend and to participate in relevant in-house trainings and seminars
conducted by the institution:

These trainings/ seminars include the following but are not limited to:

i. Good Citizenship
Orientation on Basic Labor Rights

ili. Work Ethics and Professionalism

iv. Pre-Employment Seminar

v. Gender and Sensitivity Workshop

vi, Personality Development

ji. Youth Leadership and Empowerment
iii. Business Writing and Grammar 101
ix. Cultural Awareness Training

These training modules may be obtained from the National Youth
Commission (NYC). Each institution may choose a minimum of six (6)
from the suggested topics for its implementation. Other relevant topics
may also be included in the intemal trainings and seminars for the interns.


In response to the Public and Private Partnership Framework, intems can
also be tapped as delegates during activities outside of the institutional
parameters where they are hired. These may be participation in outreach
programs, film showing, volunteer works and youth engagements that are
often initiated by private groups, socio-civic associations and organizations
that help the government in reaching out of the people.

. Mentoring, Coaching and Performance Evaluation. — In order to ensure
that intems are given enough mentoring, the direct supervisor and the
intern shall meet twice for the entire duration of intemship.

The intems shall accomplish two (2) performance evaluation sheets and
the supervisor shall accomplish two (2) supervisor's evaluation sheets
before the graduation.

Termination of GIP Contract. — Any of the following shall be a valid cause
to terminate the training contract.

By the institution:

i. _ Habitual absenteeism of the intern;

ii, Wilful disobedience by the inter of the institution’s rules, or
insubordination of a lawful order of a supervisor,

iii, Theft of malicious destruction of the institution's property by the
intem;

iv. Engaging in violence or other forms of misconduct in the internship
or institution's premises by the intern; and

v. Poor performance for a prolonged period despite warming duly
given to the inter.

By the intern:

i, Substandard of harmful working conditions within the institution's
premises;


ji, Cruel and inhumane treatment; and
iii, Prolonged or continuing illness.

Either party may furnish the other party a notice of intent to terminate the
GIP contract for cause as defined in this section.

In case the GIP Contract has been terminated, replacement of an intern in
an institution shall be allowed subject to the cause of termination.

9. GIP Graduation. — The graduation day for the intems shall be conducted
preferably on the last day of the intemship.

The mentoring forms used shall gauge the learnings of the intems during
their intemship in the institution. It is important that the intems themselves
exhibit satisfactory, very good to excellent ratings from their supervisors
during their last mentoring session which shall also effect in the
Performance Evaluation Form. The process shall be undertaken on the 3"
or last month of their service in the institution.

The GIP Desk Officer shall likewise follow up mentors of interns with
performance evaluation rating of below three (3) by the second (2") month
of internship.

In order to empower them, interns shall be given the chance to plan and
organize their graduation ceremonies.

Section 7. Grievance Committee. - The committee shall have the initial
responsibility of settling differences in case any violation of the GIP Contract or upon
filing of a complaint by an aggrieved party.

It shall be composed of the officials and representatives of the institution which
have jurisdiction over the internship.


The committee shall render a decision pursuant to pertinent rules and
regulations. In case failure by the Grievance Committee to settle the issue or render
a decision, or in case the complaint is against members of the Grievance Committee,
the case shall be referred to the Civil Service Commission for appropriate action.

Section 8. Civil Service Eligibility. — All GIP applicants are mandated to take Civil
Service Eligibility (CSE) examinations in order to fulfil basic requirements to be able
to pursue a career in goverment service, should they wish to work for the
government after their internship.

Section 9. Program Management. —

a. CSC shall be the executing institution of the GIP. It shall serve a program
manager that shall provide necessary technical and administrative
assistance to concemed institutions. The regional and field offices shall
supervise and monitor the implementation of the GIP in their respective
jurisdiction. CSC shall conduct training for GIP Desk Officers prior to the
implementation of GIP.

b. CSC shall establish a GIP Unit in the Central, Regional and Field Offices.
The unit shall provide training costs, administrative costs, or other fees, if
any, as specified under a memorandum of agreement between the CSC
and the institution.

c. The Oversight Committee shall oversee the implementation of the GIP.
The Committee shall be chaired by the National Youth Commission (NYC).

The Committee shall be composed of representatives from the Civil
Service Commission (CSC), Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and representatives
from the youth, employer and labor sectors. A report shall be transmitted
to both Houses of Congress through the CSC.


d. All institution shall designate a GIP Desk Officer, who shall be lodged
under the HR/ Personnel Unit or any Special Unit of the institution. The
GIP Desk Officer will:

i, _ Ensure that all processes required of the Program are met; and
ji, Provide reports to CSC as the lead institution of the GIP.

Section 10. Program Assessment. — To determine the necessary innovations
improvements and rationalization needed for integration in the program, a periodic
review and assessment on the delivery of the GIP services must be undertaken by
each institution.

This will also be a processing venue for all units under the institution to suggest
mechanisms to further enhance the internal processes of the program as they may
apply within their institutional parameters.

This endeavour shall be undertaken at least twice a year.

All institution should submit a report and database of their implementation of the
GIP fifteen (15) days after the end of every fiscal year.

Section 11. Appropriations. — there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the
amount of One Hundred Million Pesos (Php 100,000,000.00) as funding for the
Program and shall be provided to the Civil Service Commission's budget for the
current fiscal year.

Further, at least one percent (1%) shall be appropriated under the Maintenance
and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) of institutions for the implementation of the
GIP in their respective jurisdictions, and shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

Section 12. Separability Clause. — \f any part or provision of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in
force and effect.


Section 13. Repealing Clause. — Executive Order 139, series of 1993 and all laws,
decrees, executive orders and other administrative issuances and parts thereof,
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, is hereby amended, repealed
or modified accordingly.

Section 14. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,