‘Pantawid’ beneficiaries get priority in summer jobs

The government has given priority to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries for its internship program during the summer vacation to help poor students save for school expenses in the coming school year.

A total of 38 college students who belong to “Pantawid Pamilya” beneficiaries were prioritized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) in the Government Internship Program (GIP) for 2015.

Overall, DSWD-NCR has 50 interns who were included under the GIP wherein 10 of them are walk-in applicants while two were former residents at the Department’s residential care facilities, specifically from Marillac Hills and Jose Fabella Center.

GIP is among the eight components of the President’s Youth Work Program under the Kabataan: 2000, which aims to provide opportunities to in-school and out-of-school youth in productively spending their summer vacation through their involvement in public service.

Aside from the learning that they acquired from such exposure to various government offices, they also earned per day for 22 working days.

DSWD-NCR Regional Director Ma. Alicia Bonoan emphasized that the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries were prioritized to be included in the GIP of the Department in order to help them save for their tertiary education for academic year 20152016. This will enable them to move one step toward finishing their college studies.

Among the included students in GIP is Rima Jane Cajontoy, 18, an incoming 4th year student in Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at the City University of Pasay (CUP) whose family belongs to the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in the city.

Rima’s father, Rodrigo, 41, is a former taho and soya vendor in the morning, traffic enforcer after vending, and a sidecar driver at night in order to provide the needs of his family.

Rima explained that since she just availed herself of the 50 percent discount in her tuition at CUP, her salary will be used for its payment and other fees and school expenses.