Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno has filed the Interns’ Rights and Welfare Bill, a proposed measure that seeks to regulate internships across government and private institutions by introducing compensation, labor protections, and standardized training practices.
According to the bill, interns in the government sector will receive 75% of Salary Grade 1, while those in the private sector will be entitled to 75% of the applicable regional minimum wage. Both forms of compensation will be non-taxable.
The proposed law also sets maximum durations for internships, varying by sector and technical complexity. It mandates a minimum eight-hour rest period between shifts and grants special remuneration for work done on weekends and holidays. These provisions aim to align internship practices with basic labor standards.
In addition to compensation and working hour rules, the bill requires that interns be assigned to structured mentorship programs. Employers and institutions must also provide adequate workplace protection, ensuring that interns are treated with the same care and responsibility as regular workers.
“Interns are workers. No more free labor disguised as ‘experience,’” Diokno said in a statement released with the bill’s filing.
The bill is positioned as a direct response to the long-standing issue of unpaid and unregulated internships in the Philippines. While internships are often required for graduation or job experience, many student interns have faced full-time workloads without compensation or formal guidance.
