Just when he thought it was a permanent stop after his accident, Julito Canaman shifted gears to the road of a better life through the DOLE’s livelihood assistance.

A Waray native from Catbalogan City, Julito, 48, spends his daily trade as a truck driver of a fruit and vegetable dealer. His sturdy feet enduring the long drives have been his only capital in earning for his family of 6.

His fate suddenly got a u-turn after he met a tragic accident on the roads of Baguio City last April 2012. The unexpected mishap gravely injured his right leg that caused him to stop his job on-the-wheels.

With Julito losing his mobility, it was a dead end for him as a driver but not as a family man and provider.

His iron-willed grit coupled with resourcefulness made him stood strong despite being physically-challenged. He started operating a small canteen and vegetable stall that served as the family’s daily living for months after the tragedy. His hopeful heart never stopped believing that good fortune will knock at their door.

That lucky day came when the Department of Labor and Employment provided the Samar driver an alternative route to a better life through self-employment.

Julito was one of the 25 recipients of DOLE’s financial assistance for livelihood enhancement under the Department’s Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).

The DILP is the DOLE’s strategy in generating sustain-able local enterprises towards increased self-employment and productivity in the grassroots.

I n h i s r e p o r t t o L a b o r a n d E m p l o y m e n t

Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, DOLE Regional Office No. 8 Director Exequiel R. Sarcauga said their objective in providing livelihood assistance goes beyond financing and supporting existing livelihood ventures in the region.

“This is the DOLE’s way of changing lives, if not, giving hope to more disadvantaged workers by providing them opportunities where they can efficiently raise its own livelihood and business ventures towards increased income and productivity,” Sarcauga said.

The DOLE Regional Office No. 8, through the Samar Field Office (SFO) released a check amounting to P429,000 to the local government of Calbayog. The grant shall be used to purchase raw materials, tools, and jigs to improve and upgrade the existing enterprises of the 25 beneficiaries.

The DOLE’s assistance to Julito amounting to P18,000 shall help him expand his small canteen and vegetable stall. With more items on his basket, the driver-turned-entrepreneur eyes to make his vending business growing and self-sufficient, with increased earnings to be at par with, if not over, that of a minimum wage earner.

With a sigh of relief, Julito thanked the DOLE for the unexpected blessing.

“I did not expect that I will be receiving such a great help. What I expected was just a legal step from DOLE to put my employer liable for my medical expenses. This is more than

what I’ve expected,” Julito shared.Choosing the route of self-employmentPhysically-challenged Waray driver gets a pit stop with DOLE’s livelihood assistance

A small canteen and vegetable stall serves as a source of income

for Julito Canaman’s family.

DOLE Good News

Readers’ queries, comments, and suggestions are welcome. Mail or fax them in, or call us at telephone numbers 527-3000 loc. 621. Our fax number is 527-3446. You may also visit our website: www.dole.gov.ph; or e-mail us at dole_lco@yahoo.com or laborcommunications@gmail.com.

The DOLE Good News is published by the Department of Labor and Employment, with editorial office at the Labor Communications Office, 6th Floor, DOLE Building, Intramuros, Manila. The views expressed herein are those of the writers and/or their sources and do not necessarily reflect those of the DOLE’s or the Philippine Government’s.

EditorNICON F. FAMERONAG

Director, LCO

Associate EditorKAREN R. SERRANO

Staff WritersJOSE C. DE LEON

MARK JAIME L. CERDENIAMA. VERONICA R. ALMAZORA

CELESTE T. MARINGHAZEL JOY T. GALAMAY

REVELITA F. LAXINA

Editorial AssistantsGIRLIE MARLYN E. ARCEMADELYN D. DOMETITA

Graphic ArtistGREGORIO I. GALMAN

PhotographerJOMAR S. LAGMAY

Circulation ManagerGIRLIE MARLYN E. ARCE

Contributing Regional Writers

GENEVIEVE S. TATAD - NCRGEORGE LUBIN, JR. - CAR

ARLY S. VALDEZ - Region 1REGINALD B. ESTIOCO - Region 2JEREMIAH M. BORJA - Region 3

FRANZ RAYMOND AQUINO - Region 4A ANDREA JOY AGUTAYA - Region 4BRAYMOND P. ESCALANTE - Region 5

AMALIA N. JUDICPA - Region 6EMMANUEL Y. FERRER - Region 7

VIRGILIO A. DOROJA, JR. - Region 8GAY IRIS TANGCALAGAN - Region 9

MILDRED E. DABLIO - Region 10JOCELYN C. FLORDELIS - Region 11

CHARMAINE DAWN L. SONSONA - Region 12FRANCIS Y. NAZARIO - Caraga

� November 2012

VERSEAS CORNER

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said that a group of Philippine

licensed recruitment agencies (LRAs) had signed with their counterpart foreign placement agencies (FPAs) representing foreign employers in the Emirate of Dubai a joint statement of commitment that will pave the way for the full implementation of the many provisions of the DOLE’s Household Reform Package for HSWs, including the payment of the minimum monthly salary of US$400 and non-charging of excessive fees.

Citing a report of Atty. Delmer Cruz, labor attache-designate to Dubai, Baldoz said the joint statement of commitment reinforces the positive developments in the Middle East region with regards the continued deployment of Filipino HSWs following the agreement between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a new Standard Employment Contract for HSWs.

“I am happy to note that the new SEC for HSWs to be deployed to Saudi Arabia has motivated other Middle East countries to follow suit and also formulate their own modes of giving our HSWs the kind of protection they truly deserve,” said Baldoz.

Dubai employers follow Saudis’ lead, will implement minimum US$400 salary for HSWs, solve repat problems

Labor Attache Cruz said that in a meeting held in Dubai to discuss new developments in the deployment of OFWs, particularly HSWs, Philippine LRAs and Dubai FPAs raised a host of issues related to the Filipinos’ employment in Dubai, one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates.

He said another important provision of the joint statement of commitment is with regards the perennial problem of repatriation.

“I am happy to report to the Secretary that the Philippine LRAs and the Dubai FPas have agreed to solve the problem once and for all. Together, they will facilitate the repatriation of distressed workers they deploy and cooperate fully with proper authorities in doing so,” said Cruz, who committed to the Secretary that the POLO will strictly monitor compliance of the parties to their joint statement of commitment.

Cruz said the Philippine LRAs, led by the Confederation of Licensed Agencies Deploying HSWs (CLADS) and Philippine Association of Mediterranean Agencies Deploying Labours, Inc. (PAMADEL), will also meet with their counterparts in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Dubai: new developments in the deployment of OFWs

DOLE Good News

�

Providing alternative income towards improved socio-economic condition through

sustainable livelihood to more returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) hypes its Balik Pinay Balik Hanapbuhay Project as it recently conducted back-to-back skills training to two (2) OFW groups in the Ilocos region.

In a report to Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, OWWA Regional Welfare Office I (RWOI) Head Esperanza Cobarrubias said the extensive implementation of the Balik-Pinay, Balik Hanapbuhay Project in the region has trained 18 male OFWs on hollow blocks-making and 48 women returnees on cosmetology in the provinces of Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan, respectively.

“We have not limited the project to distressed women OFW returnees. Even male OFW returnees and OFW family groups who want to get a fresh start in life through home businesses are encouraged to participate in the skills training,” Cobarrubias said.

The 5-day hollow blocks-making training at Bangui Institute of Technology in Ilocos Norte provided a venue for the members of the Municipal Association of OFWs and Families –Bangui Chapter to boost their skills in hollow blocks-making, which has been identified as an emerging business in the locality and in the neighboring towns of Adams, Dumalneg, and Pagudpod in Ilocos Norte.

Aside from the skills training, the association also received 31 cement bags; 3 truckloads of river-mixed sand; 2 wheel barrows; 10 shovels; 2 4-yards screen metal; 5 sprinklers; 300 CHB pallets; and 4 CHB molders as raw tools and jigs as their start their hollow blocks-making enterprise.

To sustain and enhance the livelihood, Cobarrubias said the OWWA RWO I shall ink a memorandum of agreement with the Local Government Unit of Bangui, Ilocos Norte; Bangui Institute of Technology; and Marcos Agro-Industrial School to provide Masonry NCII and entrepreneurship development programs; venue and facilities for hollow blocks production;

In Ilocos, Balik Pinay Balik Hanapbuhay Project’s back-to-back training empowers skills of more returning OFWs and families

and supply of raw materials for the Ilocano molders.

The 48 women OFW returnees also experienced the same rewarding skills enhancement as they completed the 3-day Cosmetology skills training at the Robert B. Estrella Sr., Memorial Stadium in Rosales, Pangasinan as part of the Balik-Pinay, Balik-Hanapbuhay Project.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Pangasinan team headed by Francis Rugnao, in coordination with the Local Government Unit of Rosales trained the participants on beauty care, haircutting, manicure and pedicure, and make-up.

Each OFW-trainee received starter kits so they could expand their skills into a livelihood undertaking and later turn into professional stylists.

Under the Balik-Pinay, Balik-Hanapbuhay Project, returning OFWs may avail of skills training, such as cosmetology, haircutting, foot spa, food processing, massage, reflexology, baking, native snack preparation, handicraft, flower arrangement, dress making, beauty care, and pedicure

and manicure after which they will be provided with service business starter kits which they can use to engage in home businesses.

Commending another productive feat of the reintegration program, Labor and Employment Secretary Baldoz expressed confidence that the Balik-Pinay Balik- Hanapbuhay Project now goes beyond livelihood formation as the project empowers more OFW returnees to become productive and self-sufficient through self-employment.

“More than capacitating our beneficiaries financially, the project moves them forward in boosting sustainable employment creation and increased productivity that will eventually provide equal and viable opportunities to help, if not, inspire more OFWs that there is indeed life at the comfort of their homes,” Baldoz said.

November 2012

DOLE Good News

� November 2012

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said the Joint Programme on

Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth, better known as the Joint Programme on Youth Employment and Migration (JP-YEM), which supports the Philippines’s vision of a productive and competitive youth has opened the door for young people to employment opportunities and provided them valuable alternatives to working abroad.

“That’s what basically what the JP-YEM is all about. It’s about providing our youth access to employment opportunities and attractive alternatives to becoming overseas Filipino workers,” Baldoz said of the JP-YEM as it wounds to a close after a three-year pilot implementation.

Baldoz said the JP-YEM has provided employment opportunities to the Filipino youth in Masbate, Agusan del Sur, Maguindanao, and Antique (MAMA)--the four pilot provinces which had been selected for the program because of their high incidences of poor out-of-school youth, low enrolment rates, and where the Millennium Development Goals were least likely to be achieved.

The DOLE, through the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), Institute for Labor Studies (ILS), and Technical Education and Skills development Authority (TESDA),

Baldoz says JP-YEM opens door to employment for young people, provides options to migration

had spearheaded the implementation of the JP-YEM, a three-year program developed by the UN Country Team agencies, namely, ILO, IOM, UNICEF, and UNFPA, in support of the Philippines’s MDGs. The joint program is supported by the Government of Spain and funded under the MDG Fund.

The product of the close collaborative and cooperative work of various government agencies, international organizations, and the DOLE’s tripartite and social partners, the JP-YEM was a pro-active strategy that seeks to strengthen employment opportunities for young people through the promotion of entrepreneurship and technical vocational education,

adoption apprenticeships, and on-the-job training, all geared to address the issues of youth employment and migration in the Philippines.

“The joint program has improved our youth employment and migration policies, particularly those of the four provincial governments, and enhanced the implementation of these policies through the full participation of our stakeholders. It has increased the access of poor young women and men to decent work,” said Baldoz.

Baldoz said one of the more spectacular achievements of the Joint Program was to enable many poor Filipino youth in the MAMA provinces to finish secondary education and, therefore, have the option to either pursue a technical-vocational course or enter university.

She also said that through the JP-YEM, many youth in the four provinces have embraced entrepreneurship as an alternative to local and overseas wage employment.

“Young Filipinos should become entrepreneurs at an early age as an alternative to wage or salaried employment. This contributes to a country’s economic strength,” she remarked.

The youth constitutes the largest chunk of the country’s unemployed workforce. Based on National Statistics Office (NSO) data, there are around 18.22 million young Filipinos aged 15-24 as of 2010. Of this number, 6.82 million are employed, while 1.46 million are unemployed.

The NSO data also shows that the youth comprises about 35 percent of all overseas Filipino workers, which number translates to a “youth” share in the dollar remittances of OFWs.

“Of course, what is not reflected in these numbers is the social cost of migration, such as school drop-out rates which arise either due to extreme poverty, lack of interest to finish school,

“Enabling the people to feel the DOLE”

PHOTO RELEASE 163-2012 Ref: Director Nicon F. Fameronag 11 Dec 2012 527-3000 loc. 621/622 • Telefax: 527-3446 www.dole.gov.ph

SUPER LIKE SIGN AT YEM. Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis Baldoz(center) leads the super like sign with (L R) Vicente Selles Zaragoza, Coordinating Generalfor Spanish Agency; Luiza Carvalho, United Nations Resident Coordinator; SpainAmbassador Jorge Manuel Domecq, Internation Labor Organization (ILO) Country DirectorLawrence Jeff Johnson, National Youth Commissioner Leon Flores III, and InternationalOrganization for Migration OIC Chief Jose Pimentel, during results conference for the JointProgramme on alternatives to migration decent jobs for the Filipino youth, or JP YEM heldrecently at the New World Hotel, Makati City. (Photo by Jomar Lagmay, LCO)

SUPER LIKE SIGN AT YEM. Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz (center) leads the super like sign with (L-R) Vicente Selles Zaragoza, Coordinating General for Spanish Agency; Luiza Carvalho, United Nations Resident Coordinator; Spain Ambassador Jorge Manuel Domecq, Internation Labor Organization (ILO) Country Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson, National Youth Commissioner Leon Flores III, and International Organization for Migration OIC Chief Jose Pimentel, during results conference for the Joint Programme on alternatives to migration decent jobs for the Filipino youth, or JP-YEM held recently at the New World Hotel, Makati City.

“Young Filipinos should become

entrepreneurs at an early age as an

alternative to wage or salaried employment. This contributes to a country’s economic

strength.”— Secretary Baldoz

Turn to page 5

DOLE Good News

�November 2012

Ian Lester Odiana is just a typical teen in twenties. But instead of savoring the jubilant voyage

of life, he has chosen the road less traveled – the journey of being a young breadwinner.

The 21-year old native of Anini-y in Antique only finished fifth grade and took the daunting responsibility as he juggled the role of being a father and a brother to his 3 other siblings while his mother works in Iloilo.

At a very young age, tough luck has welcomed Lester. He took various part-time jobs to support their daily needs and at the same time accompany his grandmother in selling fish and vegetables in the market.

His unwavering diligence and determination has paid off by an unexpected blessing. The young lad was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the Youth, Employment and Migration (YEM) Program of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the region.

Last November 2011, Lester, together with the rest of the 25 beneficiaries, underwent a 5-day

In Antique, young breadwinner sees JP-YEM an unexpected blessing

entrepreneurship training held at the Pinnacle Suites in San Jose, Antique. This training was sponsored by the MDG Joint Programme of ILO and DOLE on Youth, Employment and Migration (JP-YEM) Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth with the objective of increasing the youth’s potential as future entrepreneurs and champions of self-employment.

The first batch of out-of-school youth-beneficiaries was trained on the JP-YEM modules on Generate Your Business (GYB) and Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB). As part of their output, the participants were required to submit individual business plan.

Giving his entrepreneurial stint a shot, Lester submitted a proposal for Balut vending, which was evaluated and approved. Luckily, he was given a starter kit amounting to P8,000 which consists of a basket of balut containing 450 pieces and a bicycle to jumpstart his duck egg livelihood.

After a year, Lester had expanded his market in the nearby towns of Tobias Fornier in Antique and San Joaquin in Iloilo by renting a motorcycle at P50.00 per day. He orders the balut from a producer in Sibalom, Antique and sells at P15 to P16 per piece. By

sundown, Lester earns P600 from his daily vending.

Seizing each day, Lester also works as a part-time helper in a carinderia in the town proper from 5:00AM to 10:00AM where he is paid P1,500 per month.

For Lester, the starter kit and training was a blessing. He

now sees a brighter future and a life of dignity as a young entrepreneur. He

thanked the DOLE and the ILO for the opportunity which opened to him the doors of gainful self-

employment.

Lester nowearns P600 dailyselling balut.

desire to work early and build a career, and the tendency to be overly dependent on remittances,” Baldoz said.

Baldoz noted that studies show that many young people are even enticed by their OFW parents to join them overseas, thus exposing themselves to risks associated with migration, such as exploitation and human trafficking,” she said.

It can be recalled that Baldoz, on August 2011, presented to President Benigno S. Aquino III the Youth Employment and Migration (YEM) Strategy Framework during the celebration of International Youth Day and International Year of the Youth at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, in Pasay City. The occasion signalled the beginning of the important task of the DOLE and its partners in crafting a national action plan on employment and migration for the youth.

At the End-of-Program Conference for the JP-YEM slated next week, or on 22 November, the DOLE and its partners will report out the three-year achievements of the JP-YEM, and present and share the lessons learned, the knowledge gained, and the tools developed during the program’s implementation.

The occasion will also serve as an opportunity to communicate to government partners and stakeholders the remaining challenges that need to be addressed and the prospective initiatives to replicate the program in other provinces.

“We hope to inspire more partners to come forward, partner with us, and help us sustain the program,” said Baldoz.

Among the DOLE’s partners in the JP-YEM are the Departments of Education; Social Welfare and Development; and Trade and Industry; National Economic Development Authority; Philippine Commission on Women; National Youth Commission; Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; provincial governments of the above-mentioned provinces; private sector employers’ organizations; chambers of commerce and industries; business associations; non-government organizations; workers’ organizations; and youth organizations.

Baldoz . . . (from page 4)

DOLE Good News

� November 2012

Ignatius “Shooty” P. Suarez, 20, was enrolled as a freshman in college, taking up criminology,

when Typhoon Sendong visited with great devastation the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in the early morning of 17 December 2011.

Barangay Balulang in Cagayan de Oro City, where Shooty and his family has lived for 14 years, was inundated, their house submerged in waist-deep mud. All the family’s belongings were instantly gone.

“There was debris and rubbish all around,” Shooty said in an interview.

“With no place to go, we were forced to re-occupy our house after three days of back-breaking clean up job. For several months, we endured without water and only a candle to light the night”.

Shooty had to stop going to college to give way to his two younger siblings. During this time, his parents were jobless.

The future looked bleak, but Shooty, instead of accepting his fate, found a ray of hope in the Summer Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), the Department of Labor and Employment is employment bridging

program which supports the city’s poor students, out-of-school youth, and Sendong victims so they can work their way to school.

A neighbor, working at the city’s Public Employment Service Office, enrolled him in the SPES.

Shooty was among the first batch to work for SPES, under the sponsorship of Golden Arches Development Corporation, the franchise holder of Mc Donald’s in the Philippines. In Region 10, the SPES, with an allocation of P20.498 million, has benefited 14.432 students and out-of-school youth this year.

From June 21 to August 31, 2012, he was employed as service crew of McDonald’s in its Divisoria branch in the city, getting paid a minimum wage plus GSIS coverage on top of a free meal.

For 52 days of work, he received P14,872. McDonalds paid 60 percent of the amount, while the DOLE-Misamis Oriental West Field Office paid the balance of 40 percent in the form of a tuition voucher.

“Nakatabang ang SPES sa among mga bayrunun. Ang tunga sa akong kita gihatag nako sa akong Mama,” Shooty said. (What I get from SPES was a big help to pay bills and allowances of my brothers. I hand over half of my salary to my mother).

With the timely opportunity to work and earn, things soon got better for Shooty.

Because of hard work, loyalty, and efficiency, McDonald’s absorbed him as a regular employee after his contract with the SPES ended.

He decided to go back to college. With his income, he paid in full his account with the Capitol University, and informed McDonald’s management of his intention to continue his studies. He now looks forward to a new beginning as a working student and to make up for the lost semesters.

He was profusely thankful to the DOLE and to all the people who helped him persevere during the most trying times.

“Ang SPES maoy nagpalutaw kanako. Naghatag kini ug oportunidad nga makapadayun ko puhon sa akong eskwela. Naabrihan akong huna-huna unsa ang responsibilidad. Duna gyud d-I kahayag sa mangit-ngit nga tunel. Hayag-hayag na ang akong ugma.” (SPES kept me afloat. It gave me possibility to pursue college. It made me a responsible person. I believe there is light after a dark tunnel. My future looks bright again.)

Shooty at work: “My future looks bright again.”

After Sendong, a student goes back to school, thanks to DOLE’s SPES

“Ang SPES maoy nagpalutaw kanako.

Naghatag kini ug oportunidad nga

makapadayun ko puhon sa akong eskwela. Naabrihan akong

huna-huna unsa ang responsibilidad. Duna

gyud d-I kahayag sa mangit-ngit nga tunel.

Hayag-hayag na ang akong ugma.” (SPES kept

me afloat. It gave me possibility to pursue college. It made me a responsible person. I believe

there is light after a dark tunnel. My future looks

bright again.)

DOLE Good News

�November 2012

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosal inda Dimapil is -Baldoz expressed confidence that the

government’s convergence program on child labor, “H.E.L.P. M.E.”, will contribute to the realization of the country’s ultimate Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty through decent work.

“H.E.L.P.” stands for health, education, livelihood, and prevention, protection, and prosecution, while “M.E.” means monitoring and evaluation.

“The challenge to reduce by 75 percent the worst forms of child labor by 2016 is not an elusive target.”H.E.L.P. M.E.” if implemented with vigor and with stronger cooperation among partners, will ensure that this target is achieved,” Baldoz said in her message to over a hundred residents of Barangay Libas, Buenavista, Marinduque, who attended the DOLE’s launching of its child labor-free barangay campaign in the barangay.

“The Aquino administration is very determined to curb child labor using this barangay-based approach convergence program,” said Baldoz.

The labor and employment chief visited Barangay Libas, a fishing community where 32 child laborers, mostly engaged in fishing, pastureland work, vending, and domestic work have been identified, to give a preview of “H.E.L.P. M.E.”

The convergence program was conceived by the Cabinet’s Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC) upon the instruction of President Benigno S. Aquino III for a focused, collaborative, and synchronized strategy to address the problem of child labor in the country.

Baldoz explained that the DOLE, in a consultative workshop conducted last month among its officials and partners in the regions nationwide, has identified a total of 15,568 barangays as targets for convergence.

The 15,568 barangays are classified into three levels.

The first, Level 1, or the so-called “new frontier” are barangays that have child laborers in hazardous situation, but where initiatives have not yet been undertaken. There are 9,435 barangays in this level and these are in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions 1 to5, 7 to 9, 12 and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Government ‘very determined’ to curb child labor using barangay-based convergence program – Baldoz

There are 5,545 barangays in all regions in the second, Level 2, or “continuing” areas. These are barangays where there is presence of child laborers in hazardous situation, and where interventions have been undertaken and are continuing.

The third, Level 3, or the so-called “low-hanging fruits” are barangays where child labor issues have been addressed, various stakeholders have been mobilized for advocacy and service delivery, local

institutions have been established, and partnerships among stakeholders have been forged.

“In the third level, there are 588 barangays identified in Regions 1, 3 to 5, 8 to10 and the National Capital Region where child labor initiatives needs to be sustained and continuously monitored under the barangay-based convergence program,” said Baldoz.

Under the barangay-based child labor convergence program, the DOLE partnering with the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Health, Interior and Local Governments and all local government units, Trade and Industry, Education, Justice, Environment and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, National Economic Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Philippine Information Agency, labor unions and workers’ organizations, employers’ groups, ILO and other international organizations, non-government organizations, professional

CHILD LABOR-FREE BARANGAY IN LUCENA. DOLE Undersecretary Lourdes M. Trasmonte (7th from left) poses with former child laborers (but who are now in school), and their parents onstage at the Dalajican Elementary School during the launching of the DOLE’s Child Labor-Free Barangay Campaign in Brgy. Dalajican, Lucena City. The parents pledged during the launching to support their children in school while the children promised to shy away from child labor and stay in school. Beside Usec. Trasmonte are Lucena City Mayor Barbara Ruby Talaga and DOLE Regional Office No. 4-A Director Alex Avila.

medical and dental associations, faith-based organizations, and other partners.

The goal of the convergence program is to move out at least 893,000 children from hazardous work. It has a proposed budget of P9 billion spread over four years, from 2013 to 2016.

“This amount will augment existing programs and services in health support for children’s growth, education support, such as transport to and from school, school

uniforms and supplies, and meal allowance, livelihood for parents of child laborers, and child labor prevention and protection, as well as the prosecution of child labor offenders,” said Baldoz who emphasized that the strategy calls for bringing down child labor programs and services in the barangay level, the lowest echelon of governance.

“Barangay Libas takes the distinction of being the first barangay where we are previewing the “H.E.L.P. M.E.” convergence program,” said Baldoz, who also bared that the barangay is among the 89 barangays that the DOLE is focused to transform into a child labor-free barangay this year.

Of the 89 barangays, 43 belong to the 609 priority municipalities; two are covered

by the ABK3 LEAP of World Vision, and 15 are covered by the International Labor Organization-International Program to Eliminate Child Labor.

Baldoz praised Marinduque Governor Carmencita O. Reyes for her very strong support to DOLE’s programs and projects in the province, particularly in eradicating child labor through education, even crossing partisan lines in Buenavista to reach out to children and their parents.

In her remarks during the launching, Gov. Reyes said: “We should keep our children in school and not encourage or force them to work. School is where the best formative years of our children are. We should not close our eyes to child labor.”

“The strong support of local governments like Marinduque to the barangay-based convergence program on child labor assures us of its success,” said Baldoz, who also thanked the governor for her support to the DOLE’s job facilitation programs.

Gov. Reyes, popularly called “Nanay” all over Marinduque, has vigorously

Turn to page 8

he government recognizes the problem of unemployment, whether it is shown by the official Labor Force Survey of

the NSO, or by the SWS and some other surveys.

“The DOLE is decisively helping address the problem by promoting and implementing job creation facilitation programs, such as the delivery of correct, relevant, and updated labor market information.

“Through the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), the DOLE provides short-term employment to poor but deserving students and out-of-school youth. With a budget of P140 million for 2012, a total of 136,529 students and OSY have benefited from the SPES as of October 31.

“The Community-Based Employment Program (CBEP), which the DOLE monitors, is a short-term employment program for workers in distress and displaced by calamities and natural disasters. As of October 31, a total of 977,791 workers have been employed in various infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects of major national government agencies.

“The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), a DOLE attached agency, is helping bridge workers to employment through the following major programs:

“(1) Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), which has an allocation of P700 million for 2012, is expected to benefit 70,000 scholars. Another P8 million in TWSP funds have been allocated for the ARMM, for 1,309 scholars. Already, 41,996 have availed of the TWSP as of October 31.

“(2) Industry-based TWSP (I-TWSP), which has an allocation of P1.1 billion for 2012, has a P500 million allocation for the training of workers in business process outsourcing, and P600 million for workers’ training in agri-fisheries,

DOLE Press Statement “On what the government does to address unemployment”

construction, tourism, and semi-conductors and electronics. As of October 31, this program has already benefited 94,516 workers;

(3) Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) Program, which has an allocation of P13.5 million for 2012, and aimed to benefit 1,663 scholars. As of October, 1,174 scholars have been benefited by the PESFA.

(4) Skills Training for the Youth and the Ulama, which has an allocation of P40 million, expected to benefit 5,984 workers, as part of the Transition Investment Support Plan for the ARMM.”

“Historically, the SWS survey results on unemployment is higher than the results of the LFS. Nevertheless, in looking at the results of the SWS’ August 2012 Adult Unemployment Survey, we see that some of its findings validate the government’s confidence and optimism in its efforts to facilitate job creation, which is one of the goals of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016.

“The SWS survey reveals that 33 percent of its respondents said there would be more jobs in the next 12 months. One positive indicator of this is the number of job vacancies posted at the government’s official job and skills matching and job search facility, the Phil-JobNet, which reached a record high of 180,190 local job vacancies uploaded by employers in October 2012.

“The Aquino III administration has arrested and reversed the steep ascent of unemployment rates from the double figures in the period before 2010 to single digit level today.

“The country’s official unemployment rate, based on the LFS, is 7.0 percent, or 2.8 million, which declined from 7.1 percent in July 2011.

“The country’s labor market continues to perform better as the employment level has grown by 1.3 percent, with total employed persons increasing from 37.106 million in 2011 to 37.584 million in July 2012, as borne out by the results of the NSO’s LFS.

“From 63.7 percent in 2011, the labor participation rate has increased to 64.3 percent, as the number of persons in the labor force rose by 1.2 percent to reach 40.427 million.

“The DOLE is of the view that the employment performance of the economy could not be SOLELY assessed on the basis of unemployment data. We also put equal emphasis on the quality of employment.

“One indicator of the quality of employment is the employment growth in the major sectors. In the July 2012 round of the LFS, employment in the industry sector grew by 5.4 percent, compared to 4.1 percent in July 2011. The services sector posted a year-on-year employment growth of 3.5 percent or 20.047 million, a decline from its 4.3 percent growth in July 2011. Employment in agriculture, however, registered a decline of 4.1 percent due to successive bad weather.

“In a developing economy like ours where agriculture is the dominant sector, the labor market is characterized by a high prevalence of self-employment and unpaid workers.

“Another positive indicator is the increase in the number of persons in full-time employment, up by 2.3 percent, or 563,000 in July 2012, and wage and salary employment, which posted an increase of 6.3 percent, or 1.314 million.

“As a result of the increase in the number of wage and salaried workers, there was a large reduction in the number of self-employed persons and unpaid family workers.

“Still another positive feature is that the proportion of persons in vulnerable employment, or self-employed persons and unpaid family workers in total employment dropped to 37 percent from 40.2 percent in July 2011, or by 3.2 percentage points. The proportion of persons in vulnerable employment, or self-employed persons, is one of the Millennium Development Goal indicators.

“T

pushed for the institutionalization of the Public Employment Service Office in the province’s six towns and is constructing a modern building to house the provincial PESO to serve the needs of Marinduqueno job seekers and workers.

The event in Barangay Libas was attended by the DOLE’s convergence partners led by Marinduque Governor Carmencita O. Reyes, Buenavista Mayor Russel S. Madrigal and his barangay captains led by Libas Punong Barangay Wenifredo Riego, Aldrin Privado, President of KASALI, a community-based organization, Mark Angelo Ornos, President of MANATILI, a community youth organization, and Noemi Bumatay of the Norwegian Mission Alliance, a faith-based organization implementing

programs for the child and youth and other vulnerable sectors in Marinduque.

Baldoz was joined in her visit by DOLE officials, namely, Undersecretary for social protection Lourdes M. Trasmonte, DOLE Regional Office No. 4-B Director Ma. Zenaida Eusebia A. Angara, Labor Communications Office Director Nicon F. Fameronag, Bernardo B. Toriano, DOLE Region 4-B Technical Services and Support Division Chief, Luis Evangelista, DOLE Marinduque Field Office Head, Kristine Abbie A. Arcena, DOLE Region 4-B Focal Person, Marjun Moreno DOLE Marinduque Field Office Single-Entry Approach Desk Officer, and Marinduque Public Employment Service Office Manager Erma Reyes.

Government ‘very determined’ to curb child labor . . . (from page 7)