A bill for interns' rights is long overdue

Every week, PhilSTAR L!fe explores issues and topics from the perspectives of different age groups, encouraging healthy but meaningful conversations on why they matter. This is Generations by our Gen Z columnist Angel Martinez.

You wouldn’t know this from my resume—and with good reason!—but I actually had my very first internship back in high school. Along with half of my graduating class, I was assigned to count the inventory in my high school gym. For one hour a week, we all crammed ourselves in a stuffy stockroom and filled a sheet of yellow pad paper with tally marks. Within 10 minutes, we’d learn that all equipment was right where we left them, then spend the remaining 50 wasting time on whatever. To no one’s surprise, we didn’t get any money.

Unfortunately, this is a rite of passage for several thousands of students. Aspiring young professionals apply for internships in the hopes of getting their foot in the door, yet some leave with little learnings and no salary. Despite how commonplace this is, no safeguards have been in place—until today. 

Akbayan Representative Chel Diokno recently proposed the Interns’ Rights and Welfare Bill, which advocates for standardized payment, protections, and benefits for today’s modern apprentices. Provisions include mandatory rest periods of as long as eight hours between shifts, special remuneration for holidays and weekends, and clearly defined internship durations and limits. And to that, I say thank God!

While Diokno has yet to specify whether he’s referring to academic (for the completion of requirements) or voluntary (undertaken by choice) setups, it’s no secret that both are prone to exploitation. In the absence of a job title, interns’ contributions are at times seen as disposable; their compensation, optional. This is especially common in creative sectors and nonprofits, where budgets are so lean that part-timers are forced to shoulder employee responsibilities without the corresponding financial rewards.

Perhaps it’s the “pay your dues” mentality at play: the idea that students are indebted to those who hired them, and must take whatever treatment in return. “Some employers are of the belief that internships are just for ‘learning’ and not real work. And since these interns only stay for a short period, they might even be seen as an extra cost,” Jonane Quiambao, an HR business partner and TikTok content creator under the name HR Rant with Nae, shares with PhilSTAR L!fe. 

Such a system, however, shuts out those who don't have the safety net required to take on unpaid labor. Without access to these opportunities, those from marginalized communities can’t set themselves up for success. (Talk about a chicken and egg problem.) Recruiters also stand to lose a more diverse pool of candidates if they’re limited to the same people with privilege.

During the height of the pandemic, I remember how most of my batchmates were pressured to apply to virtual internships to pass the time and pad our resumes. Some were paid, others were charged to experience, but they all generally gave us an advantage. Looking back, I acknowledge how dystopian it was that we could do that while a health crisis ravaged our country and widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

All these factors considered, a bill backing interns’ rights could be a win-win situation. When paid practicum programs are designed and implemented properly, interns may feel respected, motivated, and engaged. Their employers, on the other hand, get indispensable insights that can only come from new voices and fresh sets of eyes.

However, it’s understandable that not all businesses can afford to step up. “Many MSMEs simply don’t have the funds to pay, and without a strong law forcing them to do so, they can easily choose not to,” Quiambao explains. If this is enacted into law without taking their financial situation into consideration, “some small businesses might stop offering internships altogether, as it can be seen as a burden.”

In the absence of cash and checks, it’s important to note that companies can offer value in other ways. (I trust that this will be fleshed out in future iterations!) “They can also make the experience worth it through structured training and mentorship, as opposed to just random tasks, or flexible hours and remote arrangements to help save interns’ money,” Quiambao suggests. 

Other options include providing strong recommendation letters, skill-building workshops, and networking opportunities—all of which are crucial to breaking into their industry of choice. One interesting example being implemented in the Western world is the micro-internship: short-term, paid, professional assignments that immerse students in highly specific areas of work. This way, they don’t stay as long in one place and can take advantage of multiple opportunities.

While some fine-tuning is still required to reach a middle ground, this bill is nonetheless an important step in the right direction. It’s an important affirmation that interns are not second-class citizens in the eyes of the law, and that any compliant company will acknowledge them for the important work they’re made to do.

Generations by Angel Martinez appears weekly at PhilSTAR L!fe.