TARLAC CITY — About 64 profiled child laborers and 46 parents of child laborers in the province of Tarlac received early holiday gifts from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Project Angel Tree aims to provide an array of social services to the profiled child laborers and their parents.
DOLE Tarlac Head Jose Roberto Navata said the activity is in collaboration with other national government agencies and the private sector in line with their 90th Founding Anniversary Celebration.
“This project is very timely given that it is already the season of giving, and DOLE’s anniversary is celebrated in December. We can see that both children and parents brimmed with joy and excitement as they received early Christmas gifts in the form of food, clothing, educational assistance, school supplies, and even work and training opportunities,” Navata mentioned.
A total of seven Negosyo Karts and 39 Livelihood Starter Kits were awarded to parents of child laborers including rice retailing, sari-sari store, frozen goods retailing, dry goods, kalan production, street food and balot selling, and sewing business.
“The livelihood assistance awarded to the parents as part of the Project Angel Tree is a strategic response of the Department to prevent and eliminate child labor,” Navata added.
Moreover, each profiled child laborer received five kilograms of rice, food packs, school supplies, hygiene kits and wrapped gifts from the Office of the Governor, Office of the 2nd Congressional District of Tarlac and Archer Manpower Services Inc.
One of the beneficiaries, Raquel Santiago, who received a sari-sari store livelihood starter kit, expressed her gratitude to the agency for its livelihood program.
“We are thankful to the Department of Labor and Employment for giving us a livelihood opportunity that will help us in our daily needs. With this starter kit, my child no longer needs to work in the construction site,” he said.
Meanwhile, DOLE organized a Training on Food Processing for 41 parents of child laborers.
Also, Orientation on Child Abuse and Child Labor Prevention Program for Barangay Public Employment Service Officers, and Palarong Pampang Pinoy for 35 children.
SOURCE: Gabriela Liana S. Barela PIA3
