Watermelon production improves Junrey's income thru DOLE-X livelihood aid

Parent of child laborer Junrey Postrero, improved his income as beneficiary of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) on watermelon production.

DOLE-X Misamis Occidental Provincial Field Office (Mis. Occ. PFO) Chief Ebba Acosta said 41-year-old Postrero was given P10,000 worth of working capital on March 2022 thru Barangay Dullan Norte of the city as the Accredited Co-Partner (ACP).

As one of the priority vulnerable beneficiaries, Prostero is a parent of a 14-year-old child laborer who was profiled by DOLE-X in 2019 who worked as a laborer and “mag-bubunot” of coconut shells rendering eight hours a day, four times a week that interfered his school attendance.

A father of five and a farmer, Postrero said his P3,000 – P5,000 monthly income cannot suffice the financial needs of his family. Also, with the small age gaps of his children, he described their daily life as extremely tough when at times they eat rice with soy sauce to stretch their budget until the next pay day.

“Gipili gyud nako ang watermelon production kay nakasulay nako ani ug pananom sa una unya dili lisod i-maintain gawas sa dali ra pud ni sya mutubo,” Postrero said.

(I chose watermelon production since I have tried planting this before. Aside that it is easy to maintain, they also grow fast.)

Postrero said his first harvest was on May 2022 or 52 days after planting and sold them for P38,000. His next harvest was on June 2022 which earned P36,500 and his third harvest generated P46,200. He is looking forward for the next harvest in December.

“Gikan sa among una nga halin, mapasalamaton ko pag-ayo una sa Ginoo nga gihatag niya ang DOLE isip usa ka instrumento para mabati namo ang tawhay nga kinabuhi. Tungod ani nga negosyo dili lang akong pamilya ang nilambo kundi nakatabang pud mi sa ubang tawo. Malipayon mi ug himsog akong mga anak ug napa-skwela na namo sila.”

(Since our first sale, I have been grateful to the Lord for providing DOLE as instrument for us to live a more comfortable life. Not only did this business help us financially, but it also enabled me to help others. We are extremely pleased on this developments, and especially so that my kids are healthy and able to go to school).

Postrero emphasized that his son no longer misses school and is more focused in his studies in order to become a policeman someday.

DILEEP to child laborers' parents is a deliberate answer to preventing and eliminating child labor. The program prioritizes the parents of child laborers and they should not allow their children to work under the DILEEP Guidelines. The livelihood assistance provided might take the form of Negokart, starting kits, or the resources needed to establish a livelihood venture. (DOLE Misamis Occidental)