Senior High School (SHS) learners in Bislig have a new option for one of their graduation requirements: the offices of the City Government of Bislig itself.

What the council approved

On August 11, 2026, the Sangguniang Panlungsod adopted Resolution No. 2026-653. It authorizes Mayor Florencio C. Garay to enter into and sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Bislig City "for the implementation of the Senior High School (SHS) Work Immersion Program."

The resolution says the city government "has signified its willingness to provide Senior High School learners with meaningful work experience in its various offices to help develop their skills, knowledge, and work values." The MOA is meant to place learners "in appropriate offices of the City Government."

It was sponsored by Councilors Apolio C. Alvar and Jonas A. Cacayan, Indigenous Peoples Representative Florio S. Josafat, Jr., SK Federation President Ana Mae M. Agusa and Vice Mayor Conrad C. Cejoco.

What work immersion is

Work immersion is a required part of the SHS curriculum. It gives Grade 11 and 12 learners hands-on experience in a real workplace related to their track or strand. The program runs under DepEd Order No. 30, series of 2017, the Guidelines for Work Immersion, which the Bislig resolution cites directly.

Under that order, a learner must complete at least 80 hours of work immersion. Schools may also use longer models, such as 240 or 320 hours, depending on the learners' needs and what partner workplaces can offer. Immersion is usually done in three stages: a pre-immersion orientation, the immersion itself at the partner workplace, and a post-immersion portfolio and report.

Schools cannot run immersion alone. They need partner institutions, such as businesses, hospitals, cooperatives or government offices, willing to host students and supervise them. For a city the size of Bislig, the local government is one of the largest single employers, with offices covering finance, health, engineering, social welfare, agriculture, tourism and administration. A formal MOA gives schools a clear channel to place learners there.

College interns are coming too

The SHS agreement was followed by on-the-job training (OJT) agreements for college students. The council authorized the mayor to enter into OJT agreements with De La Salle John Bosco College (DLSJBC) for:

  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) major in Financial Management students (Resolution No. 2026-710, August 25, 2026, and Resolution No. 2026-742, September 1, 2026)
  • Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management students (Resolution No. 2026-751, September 1, 2026)

What parents and students should know

The resolutions authorize the agreements. They do not list which schools, how many learners, or which city offices will take part. Those details would be set in the MOA itself and arranged by each school's work immersion coordinator.

SHS learners and parents who want a city government placement should ask their school's work immersion or SHS coordinator whether their school is covered and which offices are available. College students at DLSJBC in the covered programs should check with their OJT coordinator.

Bislig Today will update this story if the Schools Division or the city releases the list of participating schools and offices.

Sources: City of Bislig, Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 2026-653 (adopted August 11, 2026) and the published titles of Resolution Nos. 2026-710, 2026-742 and 2026-751, at bislig.gov.ph; Department of Education, DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2017 (Guidelines for Work Immersion) and DepEd's 2018 announcement on the first SHS graduates.