In Quezon City’s Brgy. Pasong Putik, parents of over 250 child laborers pledge to keep them in school and away from hazardous work.

Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment yesterday urged national and local government officials and parents of child laborers to close ranks behind the government’s fight against child labor by supporting the DOLE’s child labor free campaign.

Speaking at the community assembly for a child labor-free barangay in Brgy. Pasong Putik, Quezon City, Baldoz said:

“Tayo ay magsama-sama. Kinakailangang magtulungan ang gobyerno at mga magulang ng mga batang manggagawa upang mai-iwas sa gawaing mapanganib at matupad ang hangarin ng mga batang ito na makapagpatuloy sa kanilang pag-aaral at maabot ang kanilang mga pangarap.”

Baldoz said uniting behind the child labor-free campaign to ensure its outcome–the transformation of every barangay into child-labor free communities–and measuring the impact of the campaign on the lives of the people is the key towards the success of the Philippine Program Against Child Labor (PPACL).

The PPACL is the official national program on the elimination of child labor which is a convergence of the efforts of government, the private sector (employers’ groups and workers’ organizations), non-government organizations, and international development institutions. The implementation of the PPACL is spearheaded by the National Child Labor Committee chaired by the DOLE.

Over 250 child laborers, aged 7 to 15 years old, and many of whom were engaged in vending and scavenging, were the focus of the Brgy. Pasong Putik community assembly activities, organized by the DOLE National Capital Region’s Quezon City Field Office and participated in by the child laborers’ parents and barangay officials.

Together with their parents, the child laborers pledged to  continue their schooling and turn away from hazardous labor. The parents themselves, about 300 of them, also pledged to sustain the education of their children and keep them away from hazardous work.

During the assembly, the DOLE also conducted orientation on R.A. 9231 (An Act Providing for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and Affording Stronger Protection for the Working Child) and R.A. 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. In the afternoon, the DOLE also conducted for the parents an orientation on DOLE livelihood programs and the guidelines in making livelihood assistance project proposals.

One of the highlights of the activity was the presentation by Brgy. Pasong Putik Chairman Evangeline Dunca of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) and the testimony of EmmaTemilloso and her son, Santos, a child laborer.

Brgy. Pasong Putik is one the six NCR barangays targeted by the DOLE to become child labor-free by the end of this year. The other barangays are Brgy. 194 in Villamor, Pasay City; Brgy. 410 in Sampaloc, Manila; Bgy. Camarin in Caloocan City; Brgy. Talon 1 in Las Pinas City; and Brgy. Hulo in Mandaluyong City.

“Ang child labor ay problema ng hindi iisang sektor lamang. Hindi ito kayang lutasin ng gobyerno lamang. Lahat  tayo ay kinakailangang makibahagi sa pagresolba ng problemang ito,” Baldoz declared.

Explaining that child labor is caused by economic poverty, Baldoz said a family that lacks income compels their children to work. This, she said, can be prevented by providing parents skills they can use to engage in additional or alternative sources of livelihood.

“Walang kabuluhan ang ginagawa ng pamahalaan kung ang mga magulang ay hindi naman makikipagtulungan. Ginagawa ng gobyerno na maaabot lahat kayo, pero mawawalan ng saysay ito kung ang mga magulang ay hindi naman nagsisikap na pagyamanin ang ibinigay ng pamahalaan,” Baldoz told the parents in her message.

“Ang paglaya ng mga batang manggagawa mula sa mga delikadong paggawa ay matutugunan kung tayong lahat ay magtututulungan, kasama ang mga katuwang na ahensya, upang mabigyan ng bago at maayos na buhay ang mga batang manggagawa,” added Baldoz.

DOLE NCR Regional Director Alan Macaraya said the child laborers’ parents in Brgy. Brgy. Pasong Putik have expressed desire to send their children back to school and avail of government programs that would give them additional income so they wouldn’t have to force them to work in hazardous labor.

“So we will provide them with livelihood and training through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) so they can augment their family income,” he said.

The Child Labor-Free Barangay Campaign of the DOLE is central to the direction of the PPACL which aims for the prevention and progressive elimination of child labor incidence in the country.

To achieve this goal, the PPACL employs such strategies as stricter enforcement of child labor laws; knowledge sharing through the Child Labor Knowledge Sharing System; integrated livelihood through the DILP-CED; emergency employment through the CBEP; and alternative employment for the child workers’ families.

“As chairman of the National Child Labor Committee, the DOLE has a deep commitment to intensify our grassroots campaign for child labor-free barangays through convergence with partners and stakeholders,” said Baldoz.

The DOLE’s Child Labor-Free Barangay Campaign is part of the “Batang Malaya: Child labor-free Philippines Campaign.

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Ang pangangailangan sa transportasyon nang patuloy na lumalaking populasyon ng bansa ang nagbigay-daan sa paglaki ng bilang ng mga sasakyang nagpapabalik-balik sa mga kalsada. At tulad ng pangangailangan ng tao sa isang doctor upang pangalagaan ang kanyang kalusugan, kailangan din ng isang tao upang mapanatili ang maayos na pagtakbo ng isang sasakyan.

Ang pagpapanatiling maayos nang makina ng sasakyan ay trabaho ng isang automotive technician, o isang taong nakakumpleto ng kursong bokasyonal na automotive technology.

“Ang automotive technician ay nagbubuo, nagkukumpuni, nagpapanatili at sumusuri sa takbo ng de-makinang kagamitan at kasangkapan,” pahayag ni Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz kahapon nang inanunsyo nito na ang automotive technician ay isa sa mga in-demand na propesyon sa bansan gayon, alinsunod na rin sa resulta ng labor market study naisinagawa ng DOLE na tinawag na “Project JobsFit: The DOLE 20/20 Vision”.

“Sa Pilipinas, ang isang automotive technician ay kumikita nang mula P8,000 hanggang P17,500 kada buwan at iyon namang may hilig sa pagnenegosyo ay maaari ng magtayo ng sarili niyang pagawaan ng sasakyan. Bukod sa magbibigay ito ng mas malaking kita, lilikha pa ito ng karagdagang trabaho para sa mga tao sa komunidad,” ayon pa sa labor and employment chief.

“Ang isang nagnanais na maging automotive technician ay dapat na may malawak na kaalaman ukol sa pagtakbo ng iba’t-ibang bahaging isang sasakyan, na maaari naman niyang matutunan mula sa karanasan o sa mga pagsasanay,” dagdag pa ni Baldoz.

Ang mga training center ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ay nag-aalok ng kursong automotive technology. Sa kabilang banda, ang mga institusyong tulad ng Don Bosco Youth Center sa Tondo, Guzman College of Science and Technology at Samson College of Science and Technology ay nag-aalok din ng kursong Automotive Technology na tumatagal naman mula 700 hanggang 2,900 oras.

Ang Technological University of the Phillipines, University of Southern Mindanao, University of Northern Philippines-Vigan, at Cebu State College of Science and Technology ay nag-aalok naman ng apat na taong kurso sa Automotive Technology na nag kakahalaga na mula P7,500 hanggang P20,000 kada semestre.

Sa pangkalahatan, ang automotive technician ay nag-iinspeksyon, nagmamantini, at nagkukumpuni ng mga sasakyan at maliliit na trak na tumatakbo sa tulong ng gasolina, diesel electricity o alternative fuels tulad ng ethanol. Gayunman, ang mga technician sa isang service shop ay nakapokus lang sa isang particular na parte ng sasakyan tulad ng automotive air conditioning repairer, brake repairer, front-end mechanic, transmission technician and rebuilder, at tune-up technician.

Mayroon ding iba pang uring service technician na siyang naming nangangasiwa sa iba’t- ibang klase ng sasakyan at kagamitang de-makinatuladng diesel service technician para sa mga sasakyang pinatatakbo ng diesel; heavy vehicle and mobile equipment technician para sa mga sasakyan at makinaryang ginagamit sa konstruksyon, pagsasaka, tren, at iba pang industriya; at small engine mechanic para naman sa mga kagamitan at kasangkapang de-motor tulad ng motorsiklo, bangkang de-motor, at iba pang outdoor power equipment.

Makakapagtrabaho ang isang automotive technician sa isang automotive service firm bilang engine over hauler, troubleshooter, machinist and equipment operator, power train  serviceman, automotive instructor, power plant mechanic, heavy equipment mechanic or service station manager. Makakakita din sila ng trabaho sa industriyang parts manufacturing, farm machineries, heavy equipment service company, at sa mga tindahan ng mga aksesorya, parte, at gulong ng sasakyan.

“Ang mahabang taon ng makabuluhang karanasan ang siyang magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa isang automotive technician upang umangat ang posisyon tungo sa pagiging supervisor, tagapagsanay, o bilang chief mechanic,” paliwanagniBaldoz.

Ang isang naghahangad na maging automotive technician ay dapat mahusay makinig at handing sagutin ang mga katanungan ng mga customer. Dapat ding maayos silang makitungo sa kanilang mga kliyente sapagkat nakasalalay ang paglagong negosyo sa mga suki nito.

“Sa panahon ngayon, marapat lamang na maging bukas ang isipan ng mga naghahanap ng trabaho lalo na pagdating sa pamimili ng trabahong tatanggapin.  Ang DOLE ay lagging nakaalalay sa kanila pagdating sa paghahanap ng trabaho na angkop para sa kanilang kakayahan at kagustuhan,” pagtatapos pa niBaldoz.

Ang 122 Career Guides ng DOLE ay isang seryeng mga occupational briefs na nagdedetalye sa mga gawain, pangangailangang edukasyonal, kinakailanga ng kasanayan, kakayahan, at katangian, suweldo, pagkakataon sa trabaho at pag- angat ng posisyon, at halaga ng edukasyon o pagsasanay ng isang particular na propesyon o gawain. Maaari itong i-download sa website ng Bureau of Local Employment sa www.ble.dole.gov.ph

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Of the 55 job fairs it has scheduled for the month of July, the DOLE has 17 more job fairs to be conducted in the next two weeks of the month.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz announced this yesterday as a fresh reminder to workers who are looking for work.

“We announce our job fairs with regularity through the media and through our Public Employment Service Offices nationwide. For the remaining days of July, we have 17 more job fairs where job seekers can go to find their dream job,” Baldoz said.

For the last ten days of the current month, the job fairs are as follows:

NCR: July 20–Marikina Sports Park, Marikina City; South Station II, Muntinlupa City; City Hall, Las Piñas City; July 21–Various barangays, Muntinlupa City; July 23– PESO, Marikina City; PESO, Taguig City Hall; July 25–Brgy. Sta. Ana, Taguig City; July 26–Ampitheater, Malabon City; July 27–PESO, Marikina City; South Station II, Muntinlupa City; July 28–Various barangays, Muntinlupa City; July 30–PESO, Marikina City; PESO Office, Taguig City Hall; Region 2: July 27–Diffun, Quirino; Lal-lo, Cagayan; and Region 10: July 25–City Gymnasium, Gingoog City.

Baldoz said the DOLE had scheduled more than 55 job fairs in 12 regions for the month of July 2012, most of them conducted during the first two weeks of the month following the successful nationwide 114th Independence Day job fairs on 12 June 2012 where 16,914 applicants qualified for various kinds of jobs and 2,664 got hired-on-the-spot.

“There were close to three job fairs per day as the DOLE job fair calendar for July showed,” said Baldoz, adding that the DOLE’s efforts to provide continuous, year-round job search opportunities are aimed at facilitating the meeting of employers and workers and addressing the job-skills mismatch.

She added there is a wide variety of fairs available for jobseekers from urban centers down to the rural areas, including mega job fair, city/municipal job fairs, industry/sectoral job fairs, and barangay job fairs.

“Job fairs are a part of the DOLE’s employment facilitation program consistent with the aim of President Benigno S. Aquino III, in his 22-point labor and employment agenda, to “address the labor-mismatch problem by promoting better coordination between employers, academia and government through Public Employment Service Offices and and private sector labor market information and exchange institutions.”

The July 2012 job fair schedules are accessible at http://phil-job.net.

Any questions about this release? Please call the BLE at tel. nos. 527-2453 or 528-0087.