DOLE BATANGAS IMBIBES CHRISTMAS SPIRIT THROUGH GIFT-GIVING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILD LABORERS

Just a few days before Christmas, the Department of Labor and Employment IV-A - Batangas Provincial Office (DOLE BPO) conducted a fun fest and gift-giving activities with the identified child laborers in Lipa City, Batangas, December 22.

Profiled and monitored child laborers with their parents from Lipa City, Batangas joined the fun fest and gift-giving activities of the DOLE BPO. (Photo by Leomar De Torres/DOLE)

With uncontainable joy, Ms. Lea Pineda, the mother of one child who used to be a vendor in the streets, expressed her excitement as they received various noche buena items, packs of rice, groceries, and toys as well as school supplies for her kids.

Ms. Lea Pineda and her child were among the beneficiaries from Lipa City, Batangas who received various gifts from different sponsors during the fun fest activity of DOLE BPO. (Photo by Leomar De Torres/DOLE)

“Sobrang halaga po at napakadami pong nagpasalamat na kapwa ko mga magulang na napakalaki pong tulong kasi po hindi lang naman  ho ako ang walang sawang nagpapasalamat, napaka dami po diyan na napasama rin po kaya na nagpasalamat po [kami] sa DOLE,” Ms. Pineda exclaimed.

Aside from the gift-giving activity, the event also highlighted the different games and entertaining kid shows for all the children.

A week prior to the fun fest activity for the child laborers in Lipa City, children and their parents from the Barangays of San Diego, Lumaniag, and Luyahan in Lian, Batangas also received different gifts as part of the yearly holiday Project Angel Tree of DOLE BPO.

Profiled child laborers, generous sponsors, and representatives from the DOLE BPO headed by Director Predelma Tan participated in the gift-giving activity at Brgy. Lumaniag, Lian, Batangas, December 15. (Photo by Leomar De Torres)

In her message, DOLE BPO Provincial Director Predelma Tan shared the essence of the program which not only focuses on giving gifts but also creates awareness as part of the continuous action of the department in preventing and eliminating child labor.

“May commitment po kami kay International Labor Organization para po sa elimination po, hindi lang po siya prevention, elimination talaga zero child laborers.So, yung aming program, although po ito ay gift-giving, pero ito po ay awareness. Awareness program para po sa mga magulang na bawal po talaga ang child labor,” Director Tan remarked.

She also expressed her sincere appreciation to all the sponsors called “Angels” who extended their kind gifts to the children and their families.

“We do this every year, actually po dati, end of the year lang, kasi gift-giving, in time for Christmas… [kaya] maraming maraming salamat po sa ating mga Angels,” she remarked.

The following were the sponsors who extended their generosity to the families of child laborers in Lipa City and Lian, Batangas:

1. BVI (Philippines) Corp.;

2. Megatrend Workforce Management;

3. CDO Foodsphere Inc.;

4. NBC Philippines Car Technology Corporation;

5. Joel Chavez Construction and Maintenance Inc.;

6. Avance Pilipinas Inc.;

7. JG Summit Olefins Corporation; and,

8. Littelfuse Phils., Inc.

9.  Congressman Eric Buhain;

10. Board Member Carlo Roman Rosales;

11. BVI (Philippines) Corp.;

12. Megatrend Workforce Management;

13. CDO Foodsphere Inc.;

14. Nutriline Inc.;

15. NBC Philippines Car Technology Corporation;

16. Joel Chavez Construction and Maintenance Inc.;

17. Avance Pilipinas Inc.;

18. Absolut Distillers Inc.;

19. Kajima Philippines Inc.;

20. L. Estebaya Construction Inc.;

21. Mechatrend Contractors Corp.;

22. Mr. Ben Delos Reyes; and,

23. Ms. Mirasol Celemin

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.