By Gwargz P. Monreal, J.O., TSSD, DOLE RO XI

Little is known of Little Baguio. A paradise nestled near the foot of Kioto mountain ranges in the hinterland of Malita, Davao Occidental. So cold at 27 degrees centigrade at day time and between 17 to 20 degrees at night. While “yaw” (B’laan word for cat), settled in the kitchen near the wooden fire heating the native coffee, the cooking oil that I placed in the cupboard easily solidified by the very cold temperature.

Knowing the distance and terrain in going there, our team from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI decided to climb earlier and settled in Little Baguio for the night. The following day, we would be doing a payout to fifty-three (53) beneficiaries of DOLE’s Emergency Employment Program (EEP) in the same barangay at Sitio Lena. All men, the beneficiaries were flood victims. As an emergency employment recipients, they were hired to plant trees for twenty (20) days at a minimum wage of three hundred forty (P340.00) pesos. DOLE XI Regional Director Raymundo G. Agravante advised them to spend wisely the money they received for food and immediate needs of the family.