By: Cedric Jedd O. Mabanglo (University of Baguio Intern)

Limited financial capacity is one of the many struggles a Filipino faces, what more of a student.

For interns and on-the-job training (OJT) students, this becomes clear in their daily routine.

Every day requires spending, from transportation, food, to basic school requirements while completing required internship hours.

Internships are often called learning opportunities, but up until now, it still remains unpaid.

However, interns are expected to report to work, follow office rules, and complete tasks while paying for fare, meals, uniforms, and other necessary expenses.

Transportation alone can already cost hundreds of pesos in a week, especially for students who commute every day.

For those with limited allowance or family support, these expenses become difficult to manage.

This is why the recently approved 10,000 pesos student internship allowance act at the House committee level matters to many students.

For interns, the proposal reflects the real costs of completing required training, not just a discussion in policy.

Authored by Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, together with TINGOG Party-list representative Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and Jude Acidre, the proposed act aims to recognize the time and effort students give during their internship or OJT.

Students help offices and institutions while still carrying the financial responsibility of their training.

Some say that the 10,000 pesos is not enough, and that may be true, however, the proposal acknowledges that internships come with real costs that students continue to shoulder.

As the bill moves forward in Congress, it opens discussion on how internship programs can better consider the financial situation of students who are required to complete them.