Completion is an obligation.
2
Policy on completion eiusmod ut
Since the SEC Internship Program was entrusted to Assistant Director Nolivienne C. Ermitaño, there have been cases in which a good number of interns have sought to acquire certificates of completion even when they have yet to finish their internship. For this reason, a clarification on the policy on completion is necessary with a view to precluding the emergence of similar cases.
It's particularly important for the interns to understand that they can claim their certificates of completion once they have finished their service obligation to the SEC. Not before they have done so.
Why?
For one thing, it is critically important for the SEC to ensure that all interns invest the requisite time and effort in their internship, as they should in accordance with their contract with the SEC. And it is to be devoutly wished that the interns manage their schedules well from start to finish to preempt any problems imperiling completion.
For another thing, it is likewise critically important for the SEC to discourage reneging on the internship contract that the interns have signed with the SEC. Reneging is an unpleasant prospect that the SEC prefers to avoid on account of its disruptive effects on operations and its reputation-damaging impact on the interns (as well as on their schools of origin).
Still for another thing, it is a matter of pride on the part of the SEC to manage its 'brand' -- that is, the credential-building significance of the internship. The internship is meant to provide the interns an immersive work experience, and the acquisition of certificates of completion at the end of it is supposed to signify a hard-won accomplishment.
But what if the interns would require such certificates prematurely for reasons impacting on their eligibility for graduation, would they -- could they -- be entitled to special accommodation?
Sadly, they wouldn't be, they couldn't be. The policy stands. No exception. But as Assistant Director Ermitaño explains in his blog article of 09 March 2014 (See companion article), the SEC wouldn't mind issuing them certificates of actual hours of service rendered and granting them an extension of their stint at the SEC.