DOLE 7 warns public vs bogus internship program ‘hiring’

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 has warned the public against bogus claims made on social media regarding the hiring of interns under the agency’s Government Internship Program (GIP).

In a statement, Dole 7 Director Lilia Estillore said the public should disregard claims that prospective interns are required to post their personal information and other credentials on social media.

“We caution the public, especially the jobseekers, to be wary and stay vigilant as scammers and any sorts of unscrupulous individuals are becoming prevalent nowadays,” said Estillore.

“There are many who use various social media sites, such as Facebook, to advance their ulterior motives,” she added.

The labor official said interested applicants may visit the Public Employment Service Offices (Pesos) nearest their respective localities, or the Dole regional office and its field offices to inquire about the GIP program.

She added that those behind the questioned social media postings are neither associated with nor endorsed by the Dole.

“This is not the way how we do hiring of GIPs. We do not share and amplify for the world to see the personal information of the applicants,” said Estillore.

“We do not promote the sharing of personal information of our program beneficiaries unless we explicitly receive their consent,” she added.

GIP is a program that provides opportunities to beneficiaries to serve in government agencies or entities both at the national and local levels.

Qualified interns receive a stipend throughout the duration of their internship, which is from a minimum of three months to a maximum of six months.