THIRTY parents of profiled child laborers in Cagayan de Oro each received P30,000 worth of livelihood starter kits from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Northern Mindanao, through its Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program, on February 6, 2023.
According to Public Employment Service Office (Peso)-Cagayan de Oro manager Kathleen Kate Sorilla, the beneficiaries were from Barangays Cugman, Puntod, Gusa, Consolacion, Camaman-an, Macasandig, Tumpagon, and Besigan.
The Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program of DOLE aims to remove children from child labor, particularly in its worst forms.
"Poverty is the main reason that children engage or are forced in hard labor, and it is the biggest hindrance in fighting against child labor in our country," Sorilla said.
"The Department of Labor and Employment, through the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program, seeks to address the needs and situation of the children who are engaged in all forms of child labor," she added.
The DOLE-Northern Mindanao, in coordination with Peso-Cagayan de Oro, has conducted child labor profiling in Cagayan de Oro's 80 barangays.
Sorilla said apart from the 30 parents who received the livelihood starter kits, the labor department will also be distributing the livelihood grant to 100 parents of child laborers who were profiled last year in the coming months.
"DOLE-10 is actively providing livelihood assistance or starter kits to the parents of the child laborers with the goal of providing an opportunity to earn additional income. The DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program is one of the flagship programs that opens economic opportunity to the vulnerable and marginalized workers by providing them livelihood grants," Sorilla said.