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In celebration of National Children’s Month, DOLE IV-A, through its Batangas Provincial Office, conducted the ceremonial release of livelihood packages to 60 parents of child laborers during a program at the Tanauan City Hall, November 23.
In her opening remarks, DOLE Batangas Provincial Director Predelma M. Tan shared the continuous actions of the department in preventing and eliminating child labor in the province. One of those actions involves the provision of livelihood packages to qualified families of child laborers.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Lea Crisencio from Tanauan City shared the plight of their family, her child being involved in the hazardous construction work.
“Sumasama po siya sa pangangalakal din para dagdag din kase po may hapo ako kaya bihira lang pumasok [sa paaralan],” she shared.
To aid their family in their day-to-day expenses and to remove her child from the worst forms of labor, Ms. Crisencio received a nego-kart as livelihood assistance which will serve as their new means of income.
Ms. Cresencia with DOLE Batangas Provincial Director Tan, Livelihood Focal Person, Ms. Salvacion Kalalo, and Tanauan City Mayor Nestor Collantes, with PESO Manager Edison Jallores Jr. during the release of her requested nego-kart.
With utmost gratitude and hope for a better future, Ms. Cresencia expressed her appreciation for the efforts of the department in providing new means of income for their family in the form of a nego-kart.
“Nagtitinda po ako dati ng mga fishball, kikiam kaso natigil na po. Pero ngayong may NegoKart na po ako ay ipagpapatuloy ko na po ang pagtitinda ko para dagdag baon ng mga anak ko para hindi na po sumasama ang anak ko sa pangangalakal at tuloy-tuloy na lamang ang pag-aaral niya. Gagawa po ako ng paraan para mapalago ko yung pagtitinda ko. Nagpapasalamat po ako at nabigyan ako ng NegoKart,” Ms. Cresencia remarked.
During the event, the parents of the children received their certificates of eligibility for their chosen livelihood packages such as meryendahan, negokart, manicure and pedicure, sewing machine, and other skills-based packages.
Meanwhile, the children received multivitamins and facemasks from the local government unit of Malvar, and notebooks as well as pens from the DOLE IV-A.
DOLE BPO coordinated with the LGU Tanauan City headed by Mayor Nelson P. Collantes for the provision of the venue for the event.
Through these kinds of projects, the department hopes to contribute to promoting the rights of children, specifically in its vision of achieving a child-labor-free country.
