Sugar workers receive tractors from DOLE RO-8

By NORMA RAE S. COSTIMIANO
October 9, 2019

TACLOBAN CITY – Some fifty-one (51) sugar workers from the Block Farm-Quezon Jr. Farmers Association of Ormoc City receive farm equipment from the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office VIII during the turnover ceremony last September 25, 2019 in Brgy. Quezon, Ormoc City.

Through the efforts of the DOLE Western Leyte Field Office (WLFO), the livelihood project entitled “Farm Mechanization: Kubota Tractor with Rotavator and Sugarcane Cultivator” amounted to P747,402.00 was approved and is intended to assist the association in maximizing their output and eventually augment their income. Said tractors and cultivators were awarded to the beneficiaries complete with 1,448 liters of diesel oil, 20 liters of hydraulic oil and 40 liters of engine oil.

DOLE RO VIII Regional Director Yahya A. Centi, who graced the simple turnover, was beyond happy to finally award the farm equipments. He encouraged all the sugar workers present to use the machineries responsibly to achieve optimized production.

“Let me congratulate you all for having your own farm machineries. With these, we at DOLE are expecting improvement on your output to an optimum level. Of course we all want to see you progress as an organization through our livelihood program”, said Director Centi.

The project was made possible through coordination with the Sugar Regulatory Administration led by Ms. Rena Juntila, SRA Central Visayas-Junior Agriculturist and the District Tripartite Council-Ormoc-Kananga Chapter in the Sugar Industry chaired by Director Centi.

Meanwhile, twenty-five (25) of the beneficiaries were parents of child laborers identified in Ormoc City. With the provision of livelihood assistance to the parents, DOLE intends to assist the family and eventually withdraw the children from doing child labor. (with report from Darwinda Labastida)