Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay - The Labor Day Celebration in Zamboanga Sibugay had always drawn huge support from the Labor Sector, Employers, Partner-Agencies, and People�s Organization of this province which compelled us to conduct the same activities every year.

Highlighting the celebration is the two-day Diskwento Fair,a discount fair that aims to extend help to the workforce in the form of non-wage benefits by selling basic goods at discounted prices.This year�s Diskwento Fair was able to benefit at least 576 beneficiaries earning a total sales of P135,518.10, participated by 17 establishments. The Diskwento Fair is conducted in close collaboration with DTI, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) and the participating establishments.

Another highlight was the awarding of the DOLE Livelihood Projects to 509 beneficiaries (amounting to 2.4 Million which echoes this year�s celebration theme, �Disenteng Trabaho at Kabuhayan, Alay Natin sa Bayan�. Tools and jigs (carpentry, cosmetology and beauty care, food processing, commercial cooking and dressmaking kits) were distributed to 206 skilled beneficiaries of the DOLE Kabuhayan Starter Kit amounting to 1.09 Million. Three LGUs received Livelihood Project Grant amounting to 1.3 Million funded under the regular DOLE Livelihood Program and the Bottoms Up Budgeting Program. They are LGU Imelda (Banana Chips Making &Trisikad; Project), LGU Titay (Banana Chips Production) and LGU R.T.Lim (Starter Kits for the Informal Sector Workers). The awarding of livelihood grants was spearheaded by DOLE-9 Regional Director, Sisinio B. Cano and TIPC Co-Chair, Mayor Eldwin M. Alibutdan of Ipil.

The Labor Day Program was also able to showcased performances of workers through the Workers� Got Talent Contest, and the Labor Day King and Queen which made the celebration more fun and colorful.In his message, DOLE-9 Regional Director Sisinio B. Cano gave his congratulations to the workforce in Sibugay for their contributions to the development of our country and that the DOLE will continue to provide opportunities for the informal sector and the unemployed through livelihood and emergency employment program.

Another meaningful event also occurred on the morning of May 01, 2015 wherein a blessing ceremony was held for the new office of DOLE-Zamboanga Sibugay located at Demegillo Building, Barangay Sanito, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. The ceremony was attended by the DOLE-ZSFO personnel together with the members of the Zamboanaga Sbugay PESO Federation, GC-Net Sibugay, and head of offices/representatives from Partner Agencies.

The successful conduct of the Labor Day in Sibugay is a demonstration of and active public-private partnership at work.The Department of Labor and Employment recognized the enormous contribution of the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) � Sibugay Chapter, Labor Sector, Business Establishments, Partner Agencies and the Church in the successful conductof the Labor Day.

Edyll Grace P. Poligrates, ZSFO