Bill seeking just compensation, protection for interns filed in House
Akbayan Party-list has filed a bill seeking to protect the rights and welfare of student interns in the House of Representatives.
"Sa panukalang ito, para sa college at university students na may internship, dapat may kontrata, may malinaw na internship plan para siguradong kapakanan ng mga estudyante ang inuuna," Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said in a video where he announced the filing of the measure.
INTERNS ARE NOT FREE LABOR! Like and share to support our Interns’ Rights and Welfare Bill (HB 5081)!
— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) October 4, 2025
Sa panukalang ito, ang mga university at college students na required mag-internship ay may karapatan sa just compensation, tamang working hours, leaves, proteksyon vs… pic.twitter.com/rUutK7xr9X
The bill also seeks to provide interns with rights to proper working hours, leaves, insurance, protection against discrimination, and just compensation.
In House Bill No. 5081's explanatory note, Diokno stated that there is an "absence of clear legal standards and safeguards" in workplaces that have left interns "vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and unsafe working conditions."
"While formal employees are protected under the Labor Code, student-interns in both public and private sectors often fall into a regulatory gap," he said. "Interns perform menial tasks unrelated to their field of study; are exposed to unsafe workplaces; denied proper mentorship; and burdened with excessive hours without just compensation," he said.
With this, the bill aims to establish minimum guidelines on internship programs, require an internship contract and plan, ensure the maximum duration of the internship program and compensation for interns, institutionalize a grievance mechanism, establish an Interns' Rights and Welfare Task Force, and prescribe liabilities and sanctions in case of breach of contract.
Under just compensation, Diokno is proposing that student interns receive 75% of Salary Grade 1 Step 1 for government internships and 75% of the minimum wage for private companies.
A similar bill has been filed in the Senate by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
Diokno is also pushing for other youth-focused measures like the "Baon Bill," giving students from the poorest families enrolled in State Universities and Colleges a P5,000 monthly stipend; a students' rights and welfare act requiring student consultation before tuition fees increase; and Magna Carta for out-of-school youth.
