Individual and organizations pledge for financial support of child labourers There were 51 potential donors who attended the series of activity entitled “Donors Forum on Adopt-a-Child- Labourer” held in Lucena, Catanauan and Calauag in Quezon Province from 23-27 November spearheaded by Pam Palma, Project Coordinator of the DOLE-ILO action programme. The Department of Education and Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children shared the challenges and struggles of eliminating child labour and provided the donors with insights as to what kind of support may be provided such as feeding programme, school supplies, transportation and child sponsorship. DOLE presented the overview of the project including fund management and monitoring mechanisms. “Generally, the response is very positive. The donors are concerned about sustainability of the project but they also are very willing to continue their support even after the ILO-IPEC Project,” International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) Towards a Child Labour Free Philippines according to Ms Palma. Right after the event, Smart-PLDT-Lucena, Caltex-Calauag, Rotary Club of Cosmopolitan Lucena and Cooperative Bank of Quezon-Lucena all signed memorandum of understanding with DOLE pledging their support to the project. There were also 28 more who agreed to enter into the same MOU, such as Lucena organizations – Jolibee, Chicboy Restaurant, NFA, SM Foundation, Star Honda, Luisa and Daughter Restaurant, Tanix Video & Money Changer, Quezon Poultry & Livestock Corporation, JNJ Oil Mill, Toys for the Builders, St. Jude Cooperative, and St. Dominic Fish Dealers Association; Calauag organizations – Rotary Club of Calauag, Calauag National High School, Calauag Shell Station, Gen. Peter General Hospital, Solid Supermart, Mady Weng Food Galore, Tulay sa Pag-unlad and Floaran Finance Corporation; and Catanauan individuals and organizations – Vice Mayor Manuel Montano, Nino Tañada, Mark Perpinan, Arleen Rivadenera and Southern Luzon Academy. Companies from Municipality of Lopez – Jerdy Marketing and Shell Gasoline Station – which are outside the IPEC pilot areas, also pledged to support the project. Beneficiaries will be child labourers identified through the child labour monitoring and may include some direct beneficiaries of ILO-IPEC in Quezon Province. .