Wanted: “Angels”

Note: I am reblogging this old Christmas featurized news I wrote four years ago. I was working as a staff reporter for Sun Star Cagayan de Oro Daily, then.

ROSE Abrogar rises each day just before dawn. After a hot cup of diluted coffee, she goes to Cogon Market, taking the trisikad her father rents, to sell two peso-plastic bags to people picking fresh fish and vegetables.

Stephanie is ten years old. At ten years, she goes about her routine to augment her family’s income. For her labor, she earns P20 a day.

Stephanie lives with her three other siblings in Bolonsiri, Camaman-an and she has been selling plastic bags for as far as she can remember. She said she often wondered how it is to be in school and play with classmates.

Her father is a sikad driver who, on the average, nets P50 a day. Her mother does laundry for their rich neighbors but that does not happen most of the time, leaving Stephanie and her three other siblings to work in order to survive the daily grind.

When asked what she really wants for Christmas, she says, without batting an eyelash, “rice.”

Early this month, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 10) launched a survey to the 100 rescued child workers on what specific items they would want to have for Christmas. Items ranging from complete school uniform, educational supplies, shoes, to basic needs like what Stephanie asked for.

Christmas came early for Stephanie and ninety nine other child workers as last Thursday the children were given gifts they wished for when they were rescued early this month by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE 10).

Stephanie is one of the 100 rescued child workers who are the pilot batch to benefit from DOLE 10’s “Project Angel Tree.”

In a simple ceremony held in the Provincial Capitol grounds dubbed “Angel kisses and Gift giving,” child workers received the gifts they wished for plus a bagful of educational supplies.

They were treated with a dance number from mascots of a popular fast-food chain while eating their lunch with their gifts in their little hands.

David Bustig, 13 years old, a child worker from the municipality of Binuangan, Misamis Oriental, told this paper, he had not had fun like last Thursday in all his life. He recalls how his back ached every time he would carry hollow blocks from the factory to the delivery trucks.

“Karon pa ko nakabati ingon ani nga kalipay. Unta magpirmi ning angel tree,” Bustig wistfully says.

Governor Oscar Moreno, who was at the event, is grateful for the project adding that he is particularly proud because the Province of Misamis Oriental is the only province that had adapted Project Angel Tree in its council. Vice Governor Norris Babiera authored the provincial resolution adapting the said project as part of the social welfare and development program of the province.

Although only five out of the 25 municipalities of the province participated in the said project, Moreno said there is always room for improvement even as he challenged the rest of the municipalities to join the network of the project.

Project Angel Tree, in cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 10), has been the pet project of DOLE 10. It took off late June of this year and culminated this December. DOLE 10 started the project as an advocacy in January of this year. It is a network of benefactors coming from different sectors of the region.

Rodrigo Deloso, chief labor employment officer of the technical support and supervision division of DOLE 10, says he hopes next year’s Project Angel Tree will include a scholarship package for the rescued child workers, even as he invites people to join their advocacy in rescuing child workers and giving them something to hope for.

“As of now, we have established a network of benefactors which we call angels. It’s a combinative effort of department offices, private non-government organizations, business sector, local government units and individuals. Because we plan to expand the project to include a scholarship program for the child workers, I am invited everyone to share their time and money to the project. Share your blessing to these children, be an angel to them,” Deloso said.

Last Thursday’s gift giving was sponsored by Federacion Internacionalé de Abogadas (FIDA-CDO chapter), Province of Misamis Oriental, City of Cagayan de Oro, League of PESO Managers.