The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to bring young Filipinos into government service for 45 days this summer, offering paid work placements across its offices nationwide.

The 2026 Summer Youth Internship Program will run from 24 April to 30 June under Executive Order No. 139. The initiative covers the agency’s central office, regional field units, bureaus, attached agencies and government corporations.

Interns will report during regular government office hours and receive daily pay based on prevailing regional minimum wage rates, subject to available funding.

At the central office alone, 30 positions are available. Five of these are allocated for persons with disabilities who are capable of handling office-based assignments. The program is open to students, high school graduates, college-level youth, and out-of-school youth, provided they have not been out of school for more than two years.

While the internship offers short-term income during the summer break, the department is also treating it as a way to identify potential future employees. Participants will be included in a manpower pool that can be tapped once they meet qualifications for government employment.

DA secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the experience goes beyond earning wages.

“When you start working young, you learn more than technical skills. You learn discipline, accountability, and respect for hard work,” he said. “Those early experiences shape how you face challenges later in life.”

He shared that he began helping in his family’s fishing business at 19, gaining lessons from veteran fishermen who had spent decades at sea. He believes early exposure to structured work environments can provide young people with direction and self-confidence.

“It builds confidence. It helps them understand responsibility. And for some, it may even open the door to a future in public service,” he said.

To qualify, applicants must be between 18 and 25 years old, physically fit for work, and not related to any DA official or employee in the office where they will be assigned. Previous participants are not eligible. Selection will be based on written examinations and interviews, with priority given to applicants from financially challenged families.

For many young Filipinos, the coming summer may offer more than a break from school. It could be a first step into the world of public service.