BACOLOD City – Upholding equal employment opportunity, Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) hired a three-foot, two-inch-tall graduate of their JobStart Life Skills Training (LST) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
“Our mandate is to protect workers against discrimination,” Rodriguez said. “(The graduate) has potentials of a good worker. If we will not hire him, who will?”
With a big dream, the 24-year old Richard Alpanta was among the 71 graduates of the DOLE JobStart program and was one of the “Most Improved JobStarter” awardees. He was impressive during the interview.
“Be positive and have self-confidence. Laban lang,” was his curt answer to Rodriguez’s question on his chances of being hired.
“Maraming pagsubok na dumaan,” he continued. “Sumali ako sa programa dahil gusto ko pong makakita ng trabaho upang makatulong sa aking pamilya dahil mahirap lang kami.”
His physical condition has not stopped Alpanta from being determined to help his family. “Äko ang magtataguyod sa kanila. Tutulong ako sa aking mga magulang pag may trabaho na ako,” he said.
His parents are farmers and he is the eldest among eight siblings.
Alpanta’s potentials and the economic condition of his family earned him a job at DOLE Region 6’s Negros Occidental Field Office (NOFO). He was hired on the spot as a Government Internship Program (GIP) intern.
“DOLE takes the lead in the protection of workers against discrimination and in providing employment and livelihood services especially to poor and marginalized workers,” stressed Rodriguez.
In his first day of work, Alpanta was welcomed not as an employee but as a member of a family. The NOFO staff attended to some of his personal needs.
“The TUPAD coordinators chipped in for his shoes because naka-rubber band lang pala yung ginagamit nya,” said NOFO head Mary Agnes Capigon. “Ang Social Amelioration Program officers naman bought him slippers and personal belongings.”
According to Rodriguez, “Nakakataba ng puso yung naka-deliver tayo ng services lalo na sa mga mas nangangailangan….The employment we provided is not just a job but a gift for him and his family this Christmas season.” (DOLE-6/PN)
