At least 300 students and recent graduates from Albay benefited from the temporary employment initiative under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) cash-for-work program.
Ranelle Sertan, social marketing officer of DSWD-Bicol, said the program aids the students and recent graduates as they pursue their studies and job searches.
“The beneficiaries were assigned administrative tasks, such as encoding, organizing records and documents, and completing other assignments as directed by their supervisors,” Sertan said in an interview on Tuesday.
They worked at DSWD offices, Daraga Human Resource Development – Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, villages in Daraga and Daraga Community College (DComC).
Each beneficiary received PHP10,375 as payment for their 25 days of employment.
Of the beneficiaries, 200 are students still enrolled in various higher education institutions and worked for 25 days, while 100 had graduated and were still employed for 50 days.
Maye Marfil, a student beneficiary assigned to the DComC Office of the Vice President for Affairs, shared that the program gives students and recent graduates a glimpse of the professional world.
“This program gave us a chance to grow. We didn’t just learn about paperwork; we also learned how to get along with others, to listen, and to work with respect and discipline. We experienced how real office work is performed and gained a deeper respect for those who do it every day,” she said in a previous news release.
DSWD Director Norman Laurio said the program facilitates the students’ personal development in a professional working environment.
“The services that the students rendered truly contributed to the development of the communities and agencies they worked with. Besides their meaningful contributions, this experience allowed them to hone their skills, discover their strengths, and gain valuable experience for their future academic, professional, and personal endeavors,” Laurio said during the culminating activity on Aug. 1. (PNA)
