DOLE’s referral gains headway to eliminate child labor in Iloilo town

With the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) referral, the municipality of Dumangas, Iloilo provided parents of 33 child laborers with livelihood financial assistance of Php5,000 each to improve their economic condition and to keep their children from works that pose danger to their physical, mental, social and moral well-being.

The step to eliminate child labor was the result of the profiling conducted by the DOLE RO No. 6 through its Iloilo Field Office in the said municipality.

The needs assessment reported by the DOLE’s field facilitators suggested the desire of parents of child laborers for financial assistance in starting a business such as sari-sari store, pinasugbo making, and rice retailing.

DOLE-6 Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr. felt the needs of the parents and immediately directed the Iloilo Field Office to coordinate with the local government unit of Dumangas, Iloilo.

“As a prime mover of the child labor prevention and elimination program (CLPEP), it is our mandate to coordinate with the appropriate agency and provide all necessary assistance in our capacity to avoid and eliminate cases of child labor,” said RD Rodriguez.

The Municipality of Dumangas responded positively and through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO), provided assistance, and committed to provide trainings to beneficiaries to ensure proper management and sustainability of the projects.

“This the beauty of the (CLPEP) of the DOLE for it does not only identify working children and child laborers, but it refers the concerns of the families of these children to appropriate government agencies, including the DOLE, for provision of possible assistance”, said Melisa S. Navarra, DOLE RO NO. 6- Iloilo Field Office Head.

The DOLE RO No. 6 – Iloilo Field Office also provided gift packs that contained ethyl alcohol, medical face masks, notebooks, pad papers, pens, biscuits, and powdered milk in sachets. The additional assistance was part of the Project Angel Tree which is a component program of the CLPEP.

“Through this activity, we can see that convergence of various government agencies in helping the vulnerable sector is transparent and felt at grassroots level,” PESO Dumangas Manager Jephony Derequito said.

The CLPEP of DOLE is an array of programs and services which aims to remove children from child labor particularly in its worst forms by providing focused, converged and synchronized strategies from all concerned national government agencies and local government units. (jpm/daa)