P4.3M livelihood grants OKd in CamNorte caravan

By Gina V. Rodriguez LEGAZPI CITY—-The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Bicol released livelihood grants amounting to P4.3M during a two-day caravan that benefitted residents of nine barangays in Camarines Norte in September. DOLE Bicol Director Rovelinda A. Dela Rosa said they also distributed educational supplies to former child laborers in Camarines Norte during the “Serbisyo Caravan Para sa Masa” on Sept. 21-22. Raymond P. Escalante, DOLE-Bicol public information officer, said the caravan benefitted 246 beneficiaries in nine barangays in the province while 200 former child laborers received school bags and educational supplies during the event. He said 94 beneficiaries covering the four barangays of Barangays Maot, Pag-Asa, Baay and Malibago received a total of PHP1,669,979.00 livelihood grants while 87 former child laborers received school supplies on the first day of the caravan held at the Labo Convention Center. Escalante said 152 beneficiaries from Barangays Malaya, Exciban, Cabatuhan, Dumagman and Macugon received P2,713,962.00 worth of livelihood grants while 113 former child laborers received school bags and supplies on the second day of the caravan held at the basketball court of Barangay Exciban, Labo, Camarines Norte. Dela Rosa said the distribution of educational supplies to the former child laborers was part of DOLE-Bicol’s Project Angel Tree Program. She said that the government’s services were brought closer to the people as 25 other government agencies joined the caravan which included DOLE Assistant Secretary Federico V. Abuan Jr. as guest of honor on the first day of the event. Dela Rosa said the event was “a living proof that the government is really moving as one” and expressed what DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III had been saying that DOLE should converge with other government agencies. The Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Science and Technology and Bicol University provided educational supplies to supplement DOLE’s Project Angel Tree during the caravan. Free medical-dental services were provided by the other government agencies while a feeding program was undertaken by local government units that included the municipal government of Labo and the provincial governments of Camarines Norte and Albay.