Badjao Single Mother Is A Beneficiary of DOLE’s Gov’t Internship Program

A Badjao single mother Jocelyn Asamsa, 26 couldn’t believe she is living her dreams now!

On August 3, 2016 was a memorable day for  Jocelyn because she received her first-ever paycheck from Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7) as a beneficiary of its Government Internship Program (GIP).

“Pagdawat naku sa akong sweldo, ako dayon ning gihatag sa akong inahan. Unya nipalit ko ug gatas para sa mga bata. Unya, gipa-check up dayon namu sa doctor ang usa sa akong mga anak nga dunay hilanat.” Jocelyn said. (Right after I received my pay, I gave it to my mom, bought milk for my two children and went to see a doctor to have my child with fever checked).

Asamsa is a single mother who lives in the Badjao community in Puntod, Alaska, Mambaling, Cebu City.  This is composed of more than 200 households and she liives with her mother with her two children.

In a community like theirs, many families live under one roof with fishing as the sole main source of income, Asamsa bared.

“Mangingisda ang akong amahan kaniadto pero namatay siya sa nag-edad pako ug 8 anyos. Siyam mi ka managsuon ug ako ang ika-walo. Ang among inahan, naa ra sa balay,” Jocelyn went on. (My father was a fisherman when I was yet eight years old, but he is now gone. We are nine children in the family and I am the eighth child. My mother just stays home.)

She added, being a single mother is very challenging. She was able to finished elementary, high school and eventually went to college. The lack of finances made her stopped schooling.

In 2014, she studied first year college at the University of Cebu taking up Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.

“Ganahan ko nga magtudlo ug mga bata. Gusto ko nga mamahimong maestra puhon. Apan sa pagka-karon, gusto usa kong makatabang sa among kalisud hilabina nga naa nakoy mga anak,” she narrated. (I like to teach children. I wanted to become a teacher someday. As of now, I just like to help in our poverty especially that I have children.)

The face of poverty is evident in their place, she humbly said. Determined, she added that it should not be a reason for them not to dream.

“Gusto sad ko magkat-on unsaon pag-gamit ang computer. Kung dunay chance, gusto ko mo-avail ug scholarship bisag short-term lang nga Information Technology Training para dali ko maka-trabaho. Unya mas mahimong hayag ang ugma sa akong mga anak,” she said. (I want to learn how to use a computer. If given the chance, I want to avail of short-term scholarships on Information Technology Training and get a job. This way, it will make the future of my children bright.)

Her eldest, James is 8 years old and is in Grade Two at Alaska Elementary School in Mambaling.

It is her dream for her children to finish their studies, become professionals, and to prove to others that Badjaos are also capable of doing something worthwhile other than staying and beg on the streets.

Jocelyn is one of the products of the Regional Inter-Committee Meetings for SAMA BADJAOS held regularly and attended by concerned government agencies including DOLE.

“Ang akong maguwang nga lalaki, nga mao say chieftain sa among community maoy nipahibawo naku sa opportunity nga gitanyag sa DOLE. Nalipay kaayo ko nga nahatagan ko ug chance nga maka-trabaho dinhi isip GIP intern,” she said.  (My elder brother who also is the chieftain in our community informed me about DOLE’s offerings. I’am so happy that I was given the chance to work as a GIP intern.)

Under the GIP, DOLE hired Jocelyn on July 19, 2016. She received a pay 75% of the minimum wage existing in the Region. She was assigned at the Department’s Technical Support Services Division- Employment Workers Welfare (TSSD-EWW).

“Na-challenge kaayo ko sa akong trabaho. First time manko maka-hikap ug photocopier. Ako sad nang gitun-an unsaon pag-gamit. Unya, gitudlo-an sadko unsaon pag-gamit ang laptop computer,” Jocelyn added. (I was challenged of my job for it was the first time I used a photocopier. I studied how to operate it. I was also taught how to use a laptop computer.)

Apart from photocopying and keeping important files, Asamsa was also tasked of encoding entries for reports.

“Daghang salamat sa DOLE. Dili lang sweldo ang akong mapa-abot sa opportunity nga gihatag diri naku. Maka-kuha pa gyud ko ug kasinati-an sa panrabaho tungod ani. Daku kaayo ning tabang naku. Daghan kaayong salamat,” she beamed.  (Thank you very much DOLE. It’s not only the pay that I was after but the opportunities they gave me. I gained working experiences because of this. It’s really a big help to me. Thank you so much.)

Jocelyn Asamsa is the first Badjao to have been given an opportunity to avail the GIP, a program that provides opportunities to engage young workers to serve the general public in government agencies/entities’ projects and programs at the national and local level.

To date, the DOLE-TSSD EWW recorded a total of 1,548 GIP beneficiaries all throughout the Region. (mbcn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu/ with reports from DOLE7.)