DOLE gives early Christmas gifts to 100 child laborers

By NORMA RAE S. COSTIMIANO
November 29, 2019

TACLOBAN CITY – Christmas came early for one hundred child laborers as they received gifts from the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office VIII through the Project Angel Tree conducted on November 28, 2019 in Hilongos, Leyte.

With the theme, “Children should not work in fields, but on dreams”, DOLE RO VIII in coordination with the local government unit of Hilongos, gave away different school supplies as early Christmas gifts.

Mr. Virgilio A. Doroja, Jr., DOLE Senior Labor and Employment Officer and regional focal for Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) gladly shared during the occasion that Project Angel Tree, one of the components of CLPEP, aims to improve the economic and social conditions of child laborers and their families.

“Through this Project Angel Tree, we at DOLE are hoping to assist our child laborers and help them leave the bondage of child labor. Aside from these school supplies, we are also providing assistance to their parents in the form of livelihood”, said Mr. Doroja.

Mr. Doroja likewise informed that the parents of the identified child laborers were organized as a group for them to avail livelihood grants from DOLE.

“The assistance doesn’t end with the gift-giving. We have organized their parents into a group and provided them orientation on our livelihood program. With the provision of livelihood we hope to augment the income of their families, so that this children will no longer work but concentrate on their studies”, Mr. Doroja added.