Region-wide campaign highlights World Day Against Child Labor celeb in WV

Iloilo City- Championing the rights of the child, a region-wide campaign against child labor was launched by DOLE RO 6 to highlight the celebration of the World Day Against Child Labor (WADCL) on June 12, 2023. Through Project Angel Tree, a series of advocacy to end and eliminate child labor was conducted at the different key areas in the region after the WADCL celebration during the Kalayaan Job Fair in Bacolod City.

Project Angel Tree, a component of the DOLE Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program, provides an array of social services that ranges from food, clothing, educational assistance or school supplies, and even work and training opportunities made available by sponsors or benefactors (‘angels’) to child laborers and their families.

DOLE RO 6-Capiz Field Office conducted the Project Angel Tree outreach program to give joy and inspiration to eighty-four (84) child laborers in Brgy. Lat-asan, Panay town and in Brgy. Punta Cogon, Roxas City. The children were pampered with dental services from the Philippine Dental Association- Capiz Chapter. With a wide smile, the child laborers went home with toys, rice, water container and school supplies.

Through its Negros Occidental Field Office, one hundred-fifty (150) child laborers, fifty (50) each from the municipalities of Hinagaran and Binalbagan and Sipalay City, were served. The ‘Angels’ provided free haircut, slippers, rice, food packs and medicines to the children on top of the medical services and games they enjoyed. The parents of profiled child laborers were also provided with livelihood trainings. The stakeholders also signed the commitment of support for the Philippine Program Against Child Labor (PPACL) and the KIGALI Declaration.

Through its Guimaras Field Office, services were extended to twenty-six (26) children at risk in Brgy. Lanipe, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras by providing school supplies, umbrellas and tumblers while the Antique Field Office conducted an advocacy campaign against child labor prevention and elimination to sixty (60) Kabuhayan beneficiaries in the municipality of Tibiao.

In Brgy. Unat, Ibajay, Aklan, DOLE RO 6 through its Aklan Provincial Office assisted one hundred (100) child laborers and fifty-nine (59) parents of child laborers (PCL) by giving them educational and hygiene kits.

Fifty (50) child laborers and 49 PCLs also availed of free haircut, medical and dental check-up, hygiene kit, school supplies under the Project Angel Tree of Iloilo Field Office. The activity was capped by the signing of the pledge of commitment to end child labor by the different stakeholders.

Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr. said that the effort of the Regional Office is a continuous process to completely eradicate child labor in the region by providing various assistance including livelihood for the PCLs. In 2022, a total of Php7,684,047.00 livelihood assistance was provided to 432 PCLs and around 12, 800 child laborers were profiled and referred to different agencies for intervention.

For 2023, as of date DOLE RO 6 has already provided Php6, 733, 029 livelihood assistance for farming, fishing, retailing, service-based, production and off-farm projects of 262 PCLs./jpm