Davao del Norte – The Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office XI and the Local Government Unit of Island Garden City of Samal officially unveiled Project CARESS in Brgy. Peñaplata, IGaCoS, Davao del Norte on March 30, 2021.

“Caring for the Retrenched Employees in the Service Sector” or Project CARESS is a joint project of DOLE Davao and LGU-IGaCoS that started in August 2020. The project’s primary objective is to help the displaced workers in the tourism industry whose livelihood and employment were seriously affected by the global health crisis.

The beneficiaries of Project CARESS were given skills training on carpentry, masonry, and hollow-block making through TESDA. The trainees were able to build the Regional Incubation Center and the DOLE IGaCoS Satellite Office. They also received financial assistance from DILP and TUPAD.

DOLE Davao utilized the 1,000 square meters of land in Brgy. Peñaplata and 1.1 hectares of land in Brgy. Bandera, Kaputian District donated by the LGU-IGaCoS to put up the project that has three components: the flower nursery, the Regional Incubation Center, and the flower garden. The flower nursery is designed to propagate seedlings and saplings for growing. The Regional Incubation Center will serve as a place for training and business mentoring for interested entrepreneurs who are planning to set up a business in floriculture and horticulture. These facilities are located in Brgy. Peñapalata. While the flower garden is situated in Brgy. Bandera, Kaputian District.

Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, who joined the activity via zoom, expressed his gratitude to the partners and stakeholders of Project CARESS. “The assistance that you provided in this project greatly contributed to the project’s fast implementation. To our beneficiaries, I call on you to take care of this project, make it grow, and make it big. It is my hope, therefore, that you become a good generator of employment and opportunities for your fellow Samalnons,” Secretary Bello said in his speech.

The unveiling of the project was led by DOLE Davao Regional Director Ofelia B. Domingo, Assistant Regional Director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy, Director II Atty. Jason P. Balais, and IGaCoS City Mayor Al David T. Uy, represented by City Administrator Atty. Rosemarie Garde.

Also present during the event were Department of Tourism Regional Director Tanya Tan-Rabat, Chief of Staff of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s Office Ms. Ethel Abejero, Mr. Rodolfo Dalumpines representing Cong. Allan R. Dujali, PESO Manager of LGU-IGaCoS Mr. Florencio Theddeus Valera, chiefs of DOLE Davao Field Offices, and unit heads of LGU IGaCoS.