CEBU CITY, March 1 -- A total of PHP3.5 million worth of livelihood assistance in the form of materials, jigs, and equipment was released to 139 parents of profiled child laborers in the siomai capital village of Tisa here, a labor official said Friday.

Lilia Estillore, director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 7 (Central Visayas), said the beneficiaries could now operate their livelihood projects after they received aid amounting to as much as PHP29,000 each.

The family beneficiaries could start their own businesses by selling various frozen food products, such as siomai, street food, puto, rice retailing, and buy-and-sell of ukay-ukay.

The local government of Tisa, being the DOLE-7's accredited co-partner, will monito...