By EIMOR SANTOS
BALIUAG, Bulacan—Frederico “Debong” Palines, was one of thousands who swarmed the Labor Day job fair at the SM Mall in Baliuag recently. But he was not there to look for a job. He went to see his work displayed during the job fair, which was made more colorful by his paintings.
Forty-eight years old, a wheelchair user, painter and artist, Palines is a beneficiary of the livelihood program and support of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“Tinulungan nila ko na mabigyan ng gamit, oils, materials (They ([DOLE] helped me have oils and materials),” he said.
And for the third straight year, the DOLE has been exhibiting Palines’ work during its jobs fairs which are held all over Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The exhibits have also been Palines’ claim to fame, which introduce him to potential buyers of his artworks, provide him much needed income and help him become an independent and productive member of society.
