Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone (Photo from Gov. Ben P. Evardone/FACEBOOK)
TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone is calling on the national government to establish a comprehensive national policy on college internships with dedicated budget allocations, emphasizing its importance in producing quality graduates.
Evardone said a national policy on college internships would significantly impact the country’s educational system.
He highlighted the role of internships in human resource development, job matching, networking, and overall economic contribution.
“If there is a comprehensive program by the national government on internships, supported by budgetary allocation, I believe it will have a more significant impact,” Evardone said in his speech during the launching of Eastern Samar State University’s (ESSU) BALUS initiative on July 29 in Borongan City.
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BALUS, which stands for Building Alliances and Leveraging Unwavering Support, is a program initiated by ESSU to strengthen partnerships with Student Internship Program Host Training Establishments (HTEs).
Evardone’s interest in this issue stemmed from complaints by parents of ESSU students who were forced to sell properties, such as agricultural lands and carabaos, to fund their children’s internship requirements.
He emphasized that students should not be required to pay for internship facilities since they contribute to the workforce.
“Besides, they are supposed to impart knowledge, transfer technology, and build confidence among these students,” he added.
Evardone plans to discuss this matter with senators, especially Senate President Francis Escudero, and hopes for support from Representatives Ma. Fe Abunda and Marcelino Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group to address the issue.