ROXAS City – The parents of child laborers in the sugarcane industry in Maayon, Capiz were granted livelihood assistance.
Information officer Mary Chris Medina of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Capiz said a total of P2-million in grant for the livelihood project for the parents of child laborers from the twelve barangays in Maayon town were released, Jan. 25.
She said DOLE-Capiz manager Ma. Cecilia Acebuque led the ceremonial turnover of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP)/ Kabuhayan Fund Assistance to the local government unit of Maayon represented by Vice Mayor Weldie Apolinario for the P1-million egg production project for their ten beneficiary villages.
Likewise, Acebuque turned over P500,000 each in grant to the Barangay Old Guia and Barangay New Guia in the said town for the egg production project for the parents of child laborers in the said barangays.
“Each of the ten beneficiary barangays composed of 32 parents of child laborers in the sugarcane industry and 28 marginalized farmers will be provided with 48 heads laying hen, ten sacks of laying feed, two sets of egg machine, one liter laying hen vitamin, egg tray and digital weighing scale which all total to P100,000,” she said.
The 10 villages include barangays Salgan, Quevedo, Balighot, Indayagan, Batabat Canapian, Carataya, West Villaflores, East Villaflores and Bongbongan.
Mendez said 111 parents of child laborers in two other barangays are the beneficiaries of their livelihood program; of which 51 are from New Guia and 60 from Old Guia.
She explained that should the parents of the child laborers will be given livelihood assistance, they will not anymore allow their children to work for a living to augment the family’s income in exchange for their schooling.
DILP or Kabuhayan Program is the DOLE’s contribution to the government’s agenda of inclusive growth through massive job generation and substantial poverty reduction.
It seeks to reduce the vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers by providing them access to a grant assistance for capacity-building on livelihood ventures either for individual or group undertakings. (PIA/PN)
