US offers $15-M grant vs child labor in PHL

The United States’ Department of Labor on Thursday (Friday in Manila) announced it is offering a $15-million grant to fight child labor in some sugarcane plantations in the Philippines. In a news release, the DOL-Bureau of International Labor Affairs said recipients of the grant will be “qualified" groups that will implement technical assistance projects that aim to combat child labor. It said such projects should have the following criteria:

• Using an innovative, effective, and integrated approach that involves increasing children’s access to quality education.
• Promoting sustainable livelihoods for children’s households.
• Increasing the access of beneficiaries to national social protection programs that help households overcome dependence on children working in order to meet basic needs.

The DOL said applications may be submitted electronically or manually, by 5 p.m. (EDT) of Aug. 31. Electronic submissions may be made via http://www.grants.gov, while hard copies may be sent to the US Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-4307, Washington, D.C. 20210. “All cooperative agreement awards will be made by Sept. 30," according to the DOL. — JE, GMA News