Photo by Faisal Camsa Jr./BIO
COTABATO CITY—As part of the 4th Bangsamoro Foundation Day, the Government of the Day, through its Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE), distributed stipends to youth beneficiaries under the Government Internship Program (GIP) on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, in this city.
A total of 65 GIP beneficiaries from Cotabato City received a three-month stipend worth Php16,087.50 each. This was equivalent to 75% of the minimum wage, while 25% will be provided by their respective employers, depending on the minimum wage of each area.
Also, 112 youth beneficiaries from Maguindanao Provinces, 110 from Basilan, 104 from Tawi-Tawi, and another 104 from Sulu received Php14,850.00 each.
MOLE’s Bureau of Employment, Promotion and Welfare (BEPW) spearheaded the said activity to provide opportunities to fresh college graduates and unemployed Bangsamoro youth to work in the government for three months.
Deputy Minister Tommy Nawa stressed that the GIP also aims to help unemployed Bangsamoro to improve their skills and talents.
“We’re glad that the program enhanced your [youth] work experiences and that you’ve learned something from us which you will be able to apply to your next job,” Nawa said.
“Ang ating ministry ay patuloy na naghahanap ng paraan upang maiparating sa ating mga kapatid na Bangsamoro ang mga programa at proyekto na ma-transform at maramdaman ang mga gawain ng BARMM Government sa ilalim ng Moral Governance,” he added.
Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries, Abduladsis Nandog, 24, a graduate of Headstart College of Cotabato, shared his experiences and said that the program signified the efforts of the Government of the Day of not forgetting its vow of addressing the needs of the youth sector in the region.
Meanwhile, Sandra Dela Pena, a beneficiary from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao Del Norte, and a graduate of Cotabato State University (CotSu) thanked BARMM, saying, “we hope that this program will continue for youth and fresh college graduates will be able to have a work as a government employee, since it would difficult for us to find a job at this time.” (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)
