CEBU CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) has given PHP4.6 million worth of livelihood assistance to parents of profiled child laborers in Barili, southern Cebu.
Around 153 parents of child laborers coming from the different barangays benefited from the livelihood program, with each receiving not less than PHP29,000 for their respective Livelihood Starter Kits (LSKs).
The beneficiaries, who come from Barangays Candugay, Cagay, San Rafael, and Azucena, will engage in goat raising, cattle fattening, general merchandising, candle vending, buy and sell, frozen food products and “hanging rice” livelihood projects.
“We distributed the livelihood starter kits to the beneficiaries for four days since we had to go to several different barangays while strictly observing the safety and health protocols,” DOLE-Cebu OIC Vivencio Lagahid said in a statement on Monday.
Barili Mayor Julieto Flores said the livelihood projects from DOLE is a “once in a lifetime experience” since there is no need for the beneficiaries to look for the capital of their businesses. All they have to do, he said, is only to provide a counterpart such as a small area for their projects.
“The government is concerned on the proper handling of your respective livelihood undertakings. We are hoping that you are going to do your best to make them sustainable so that your children will not have to go back to child labor again,” he said.
Under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP), parents and/or guardians of profiled youth workers are qualified to avail of the department’s livelihood program that aims to help withdraw them from child labor by way of providing their families alternative sources of income. (PNA)
Source: Philippines News Agency
