CABUYAO CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Laguna Provincial Office, together with its private sector partners from the Laguna Industrial Peace Council Inc (LIPCI), team up as they deliver Christmas gift items and holiday joy for a brighter future for former child laborers during the Project Angel Tree 2023 in Cabuyao City, Laguna on December 15, Friday.
100 child laborers from nine towns in Laguna gathered at the Chipeco-Aguillo Gym in Cabuyao City and received Christmas gift packs from government agencies, local officials, and private sector partners for the Project Angel Tree.
One of the beneficiaries of the program is Amithai Templo, 18 years old and a former child laborer from Siniloan, Laguna. Amithai said that she was forced to work in a local bakery when she was only 15 years old.
She shared that when her father suffered a stroke during the height of the pandemic in 2020, their family was left with little to no income, leaving her no choice but to help her mother on working.
“I have seen how hard our life is. At that time, I also thought that it’s about time to somehow sacrifice as I believe that we can eventually overcome the challenges we’re experiencing if I persevere,” Amithai said.
[“Kita ko po ang hirap na meron kami. Naisip ko na rin po that time na mag-sakripisyo na rin po kahit papano kasi makakaalis din naman po kami sa hirap na nararanasan po namin kung magkakaroon po ako ng tiyaga”.]
They worked for 6 hours from 6:00PM to 12:00AM at the bakery for a wage of P300. She said that the working conditions are harsh for a minor, but she persevered so she may help with their family’s expenses.
Through the help of Asurion Philippines, one of the private sector partners of the project, she received a college scholarship grant and is now a first-year engineering student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa.
“The help I received greatly benefited me. Since I became their scholar and got connected with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), a lot of positive changes happened to me, and I became even more motivated in my studies because I had their support. I know now that I shouldn’t lose hope because there are people helping me. Despite that, I still need to improve myself and show them that I can repay all the assistance and help that they’ve given me,” Amithai adds.
[“Sobrang laki ng naitulong sa akin. Simula po noong naging scholar nila ako and na-connect po ako sa DOLE, ang dami pong nangyari sa akin na pagbabago at mas lalo pa akong ginanahan sa pag-aaral noon kasi po may sumusuporta po. Hindi pa po pala ako dapat mawalan ng pag-asa kasi may tumutulong po sa akin. Sa kabila po noon, kailangan pang patatagin ang sarili ko at ipakita sa kanila na maibabalik ko ang lahat ng tulong nila ngayon.”]
PROJECT ANGEL TREE. Former child laborer Amithai Templo, 18, expressed her warmest gratitude to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Laguna Provincial Office and their private sector partners as she delivered a speech thanking them for the college scholarship grant with the aim of gradually improving their state of living. (CO/PIA-4A)
For John Joseph Cano, Vice Chair for Management of LIPCI, providing the needs of former child laborers is important so that they would have a renewed sense of hope and progress and would later be productive members of the society.
“These are children. If you would see, there are a lot of potentials. The problem is there are particular situations which hinders how they will be able to grow as an individual. Our group, together with DOLE, and other companies from the industries made sure to develop a process or system where we would be able to support child laborers, who are not supposedly working but studying or just playing.”
Cano is optimistic that with the help of the private sector the initiatives of the government in reducing child labor cases will continue and be proven sustainable in order to reach more beneficiaries.
“It is important to show that we are united as an organization. It’s more than just a ceremonial commitment, but it’s more on what we really wanted to happen. It’s something that we wanted to make [as our] legacy, to start the legacy, and [for] others to continue this legacy to really help develop and be able to come up with future leaders for the province of Laguna,” Cano emphasized.
Director Guido Recio of the DOLE Laguna Provincial Office, on the other hand led the ceremonial signing of commitment for government agencies, local government units, and private companies that enjoins them to fight child labor among their sectors.
Recio shared that they will continuously engage with the private sector in all their programs as a way to synergize the assistance given for rightful beneficiaries.
“We continue to encourage them to support the various programs of the government thru their advocacy and gift-giving. Us at DOLE Laguna Provincial Office, we encourage private companies to choose their own scholars, as studying and education are the most beneficial assistance for these children. Once they have finished their studies, at least we have accomplished another milestone for a child laborer,” he said.
The labor department advises the public to also be involved and proactive in monitoring cases of child labor within their community.
Recio said: “To the public, if you have seen an incident of child labor, you may report it at your nearest DOLE office or to your Public Employment Service Office or PESO which is our counterpart in the local government.”
Amithai is just one of the beneficiaries of the Project Angel Tree for the past ten years, and she thanked all of those who have helped her achieve her dream to study and graduate for her family.
“Thank you very, very much. Words alone cannot express my gratitude. From the very beginning, a lot has happened in my life, and I know that wherever I go, there’s someone supporting me. To the private sector that supports this program, thank you very much as well because they do not get tired of supporting and even provide more assistance to help the child laborers here in the province of Laguna.”
[“Maraming maraming salamat po. Hindi po matutumbas ng salita lang na salamat. Sa simula pa lang, marami nang nangyari sa buhay ko at kahit saan ako magpunta ay naka-agapay lang sa akin. Sa private sector po na sumusuporta po sa programang ito, maraming maraming salamat din po kasi hindi sila nagsasawang sumuporta at nagbibigay pa po sila ng mas marami pang tulong para masuportahan at mawalan ng mga batang nagtatrabaho dito sa lalawigan ng Laguna.”]
She imparts to her fellow child laborers that the drive for a better and more just future lies within themselves as well.
“They should not lose hope whenever they feel tired or frustrated. There are times when they may think, ‘This is as far as we can go,’ but despite that, if we work hard and strive for our own dedication, we will see ourselves in the future saying, ‘I can do this, I can achieve what I want that I haven’t done before.’”
[“Hindi po dapat sila mawalan ng pag-asa sa oras na napapagod po sila. May mga oras na akala ng mga child laborer na “hanggang dito na lang kami” pero sa kabila noon, kung magsisikap at magsisikap tayo sa sarili nating dedikasyon ay makikita natin in the future ang sarili natin na “ay kaya ko ito, makukuha ko ‘yung gusto ko na hindi ko nakukuha dati.”] (CH/PIA-Laguna)
100 child laborers from nine towns in Laguna gathered at the Chipeco-Aguillo Gym in Cabuyao City and received Christmas gift packs from government agencies, local officials, and private sector partners for the Project Angel Tree. They believe that providing the needs of former child laborers is important so that they would have a renewed sense of hope and progress and would later be productive members of the society. (CO/PIA-4A)
