In celebration of National Children’s Month, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has made a profound commitment to hope, distributing assistance to strengthen families and protect the nation’s most vulnerable children from the threat of labor exploitation.
These initiatives formed part of the administration’s drive to build safer communities for children and expand income opportunities for households in need, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos’ commitment toward a child-labor-free Philippines.
Throughout the month, DOLE regional offices mobilized awareness campaigns, community engagements, and livelihood interventions that brought services closer to children and parents. Activities included learning sessions, protection advocacy, and the distribution of support packages designed to ease financial pressures that often push children into hazardous work.
Support for parents of child laborers
In SOCCSKSARGEN, DOLE and its partners provided one million pesos in aid and essential services to 50 child laborers and their parents on November 4. The support included learning materials, welfare services, and livelihood components that strengthen families’ economic stability.
In the Cordillera region, parents of child laborers in Fidelisan, Sagada, completed training in bread and pastry making from November 6 to 8. The training, supported by the Mountain Province LGU, TESDA, and the DOLE Mountain Province Field Office, equipped families with practical skills that can be turned into income-generating ventures.
In Central Luzon, DOLE awarded twenty-five Bigasan Kits to parents of child laborers on November 12 under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program. The beneficiaries also received entrepreneurship training to help them manage their small enterprises and reduce reliance on hazardous child work.
In Central Visayas, DOLE also provided a significant economic boost to families in Cebu City on November 22, awarding ₱1.8 million in livelihood assistance to 36 parents of child laborers from Barrio Luz and adjacent communities.
DOLE Caraga likewise distributed PHP 1.5 million worth of livelihood starter kits to 50 parents in Agusan del Sur, supporting projects such as swine production, rice farming, and aquaculture.
