ZAMBOANGA CITY — Some twenty-five (25) profiled child laborers brimmed with joy and excitement as they received early Christmas gifts during the Department of Labor and Employment IX (DOLE 9)’s Project Angel Tree activity held yesterday, December 8, 2020, at the Barangay Recodo Covered Court, Zamboanga City.Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said that the Project Angel Tree, a component of the DOLE Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program, provides an array of social services that range from food, clothing, educational assistance or school supplies, and even work and training opportunities made available by sponsors or benefactors (‘angels’) to child laborers and their families.

The selected child laborers together with their parents/guardians hailed from Barangays Upper Calarian, Recodo and Cawit in Zamboanga City.

“Under the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program, it was imperative that child laborers be identified and properly profiled so that we can provide them with assistance suited to their needs. This project is just a small portion of what we are doing with the CLPEP, together with our partners, we hope to improve the economic and social conditions of child laborers and their families,” Dir. Buenafe said.

Children received food packs, school supplies, toys, clothes, hygiene kits and personal protective equipment such as face masks, face shields all courtesy of “angels” or benefactors namely DOLE 9 Regional Coordinating Committee, the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council 9, Industry Tripartite Council – Fishing & Canning and the Congressional Office of Representative Ceasar “Jawo” Jimenez.

“Ito ay munting handog namin sa mga batang manggagawa lalong lalo na sa panahon ng pandemya. Masaya kami na napasaya namin sila,” Dir. Buenafe said.

The said activity was conducted in line with DOLE’s 87th Anniversary Celebration. END/Kai Grafia