02/09/2026
๐ก๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ: ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ
Behind every learner is a story, a dream, and a family working hard to give them a better future. On August 31, 2026, that story found extra support when the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) Caravan, also known as ๐๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐๐, arrived at the Barangay Hall of Ballay, Kabayan, Benguet. Among the beneficiaries reached that day were ๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ (9) ๐ก๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ค๐ก; a reminder that our community's youngest members are never far from the government's and the school's shared commitment to protect and uplift them.
This meaningful activity traces back to February 2026, when the DOLE Baguio-Benguet Field Office (BBFO) conducted a profiling activity across several barangays in Kabayan; including Ballay, Anchukey, Gusaran, Pacso, and Batan. A total of 78 individuals were profiled during this exercise. Of these, 15 beneficiaries were later awarded livelihood assistance in June 2026, helping their families build more stable and sustainable sources of income. The remaining 63 were identified for further support through the CLPEP Caravan / Project Angel Tree, and it is among this group that our nine Ballay IS learners were included, quiet proof that support was reaching them right where they live and learn.
Guided by the caravan's theme, "๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ข-๐ด๐ข๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ข๐จ๐ฌ๐ช๐ญ๐ฐ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ด๐ข ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ฃ๐ถ๐ฌ๐ข๐ด๐ข๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ณ-๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข," and carrying the broader vision of a "๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ-๐
๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐," the day brought together the barangay, the municipal government, and national agencies in one shared cause.
The caravan opened with welcome remarks from ๐๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐จ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ, Barangay Captain of Ballay, who set the tone for the day by extending the community's warmth and support to the caravan, its partner agencies, and most especially its beneficiaries. ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐. ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฅ, PESO Designate, followed with the acknowledgement of participants, recognizing the various government offices, local officials, partner organizations, and families who came together to make the caravan possible; a fitting reminder that an activity like this only succeeds through collective effort.
Representing the school community, ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง ๐. ๐๐๐๐, School Head of Ballay Integrated School, took the floor to speak on behalf of the institution, affirming the school's continuing role as a safe space and partner in ensuring that every learner; including those reached by this caravan, remains in school, protected, and supported in pursuing their education. ๐๐จ๐ง. ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ ๐. ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ, Vice Mayor of Kabayan, then delivered a talk reaffirming the municipal government's sustained commitment to the welfare of children and families across Kabayan, echoing the LGU's continuing partnership with national agencies on programs such as this.
A message from ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ข๐จ ๐. ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ, ๐๐ซ., ๐๐๐๐, Regional Director of DOLE-CAR, was delivered on his behalf by ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐. ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง, Chief Labor and Employment Officer, conveying the region's continuing mandate and commitment to reach child laborers, children at risk, and their families through programs like the CLPEP Caravan. The stakeholders present then came together for a Pledge of Commitment, a collective and symbolic promise among government agencies, local officials, and the community to sustain their efforts in protecting children from child labor and in promoting their rights and welfare.
As part of Project Angel Tree, assistance and services were extended to the identified beneficiaries, carrying forward the caravan's mission of bringing help directly to the families who need it most. Beyond the core program, the caravan also opened its doors to the wider Ballay community; free haircuts courtesy of a battalion of the Philippine Army, civil registration and other services from the Philippine Statistics Authority - Cordillera Administrative Region (PSA-CAR), and a livelihood skills session on dishwashing liquid making conducted by TESDA-CAR were made available to residents in general, not only to the identified beneficiaries; a welcome bonus that let the whole barangay share in the day's spirit of service.
As part of Project Angel Tree, assistance and services were extended to the identified beneficiaries, carrying forward the caravan's mission of bringing help directly to the families who need it most. To deepen everyone's understanding of the legal framework behind these efforts, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ฌ, CLPEP Focal of the Regional Office, conducted an orientation on ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ. ๐๐๐๐, the law providing for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor and affording stronger protection for the working child, walking participants through the rights of children under the law and the responsibilities of families, employers, and communities in safeguarding those rights.
The program was capped off with closing remarks from ๐๐จ๐ง. ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฒ, Sangguniang Bayan Member, who thanked everyone for their participation and renewed the call for continued cooperation in building a Kabayan where every child is protected and given the chance to thrive.
At its heart, the CLPEP is about more than a single day's activity. It is part of a broader, ongoing effort to protect children from child labor, promote their rights and welfare, and support families through accessible services, livelihood opportunities, and community-based interventions; so that every child can be guided toward safety, learning, and growth rather than hardship. For Ballay Integrated School, this initiative resonates deeply with our own mission: to nurture learners in an environment where they are safe, supported, and free to pursue their education and their dreams. As the program's speakers reminded everyone present, protecting our children is never the responsibility of one sector alone; it takes families, schools, communities, and government institutions working hand in hand.
To DOLE-CAR, LGU Kabayan, BLGU Ballay, the Philippine Army, PSA-CAR, TESDA-CAR, and all who took part in making this caravan possible; maraming salamat po for bringing this caravan of care closer to our community. And to our learners and their families โ Ballay Integrated School stands with you, always.
เญงโคโ๐ท: K.G.-PESO
