Sunday, February 24, 2008 DOLE saves kids through Angel Tree By Abigail C. Malalis
13-year old Jan Mark L. Bulo and his friend, Junel Binunhaw, arrived early at the launching of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Angel Tree program.
Bulo and nine year old Binunhaw were dressed neatly--a far cry to the clothes they usually wear when scavenging and begging for money on the streets of Cagayan de Oro.
Bulo and Binunhaw are part of the growing legion of children working for a living in the city.
The DOLE has reported that in every 10 Filipino families three have children working to help feed the family.
That means, given the Philippine population of 86 million, 3 million families rely on their children's meager earnings.
Out of the 25 million children, 4 million of them, between the ages of 5 and 17, are working and miss out on a schooling.
Seventy percent of them are in rural areas working in the fields. They grow up illiterate, abused, and exploited. As a result, they will never reach an economic stability where their future children could go to school and break the cycle of poverty.
Bolo started scavenging garbage when his father left his mother. Seeing how his mother struggled to feed the family, Bolo started scavenging at night to help.
By day, he goes to school at the Consolacion Elementary school.
"Gusto unta nako matabangan mi sa akong pag eskwela, bisan na lang pangpalit og mga gamit sa eskwelahan kay lisod na man gyud kaayo saligan pa ang akong kita ug sa akong mama para sa akong mga gamit (I would have wanted us to be helped even if it's just for school supplies. It's hard to depend on my earnings and that of my mom's," Bolo said.
Bolo said he earns P20 after a night's work of looking for discarded plastic and cans in the garbage.
"Matag gabii ra man ko mamasura kay mao man nang panahona ang bibo. Gabii man gud ang tiglabay sa mga basura sa amo silingan, (I only look for garbage at night since it is when garbage is plenty. Our neighbors usually throw their garbage during evening)," Jan Mark said.
Binunhaw has a harsher work environment than Bolo's. Binunhaw works in the streets begging for money from passing motorists.
The nine-year-old has taken to the life of the streets because his father, a pedicab driver, could barely feed his family of five.
Bolo and Binunhaw were among the 50 children in the city saved by DOLE.
Dole Region 10 Director Alan M. Macaraya, said the program called "Angel Tree" is designed " to create a caring community committed to help the children."
At the launching of "Angel Tree", Bolo and the children met with non-government organizations and businesses who have signified to help them.
