DOLE launches child labor-free barangays in Pangasinan

ALCALA, Pangasinan, Sept 6 (PIA) — The Department of Labor and Employment launched here Monday the Child-Labor Free Barangays, which aims to protect the welfare of children and eliminate child labor in the tobacco industry.

Filomino Racpan, Liga ng mga Barangay chairman, presented a resolution signed by Alcala’s 21 barangay chairmen to Undersecretary Lourdes Trasmonte of DOLE for Labor Standards and Social Protection, to pledge their support in preventing and eliminating child labor in their communities.

Children of school age should be in schools and not working at a very young age. They also have the right to play and enjoy their youth, Transmonte said.

“It is the right of every child to be in school. Don’t work in the fields yet. Study well. Who knows, one of you here will soon become the mayor of this town,” she said addressing the young.

She urged barangay captains to make their commitment true and encouraged parents to send their children to school as they are the “hope of the fatherland.”

Aside from educational assistance given to children, parents were also given livelihood aid.

For the first and second phases of the program, DOLE has identified 57 parent beneficiaries who were given assistance to start their livelihood such as goat breeding, piggery, and skills training.

Mayor Manuel Collado expressed gratitude to government agencies like DOLE and Tesda for having piloted the program in his town.

He said the latest survey released by the Bureau of Statistics ranked Alcala as the town with the least incidence of poverty because of these measures being undertaken.

Aside from Alcala town, the program is also piloted in other towns in the region which include Balaoan in La Union, San Emilio and San Juan in Ilocos Sur and Pinili in Ilocos Norte. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1, Pangasinan)