ANTI-CHILD LABOR ADVOCACY

Last September 7, 2007, an advocacy planning workshop on anti-child labor was organized by the Philippine Information Agency-Region XI in coordination with ABK Initiative, which is a 4-year project implemented by the World Vision Development Foundation, among other agencies, and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. The one-day activity was held at Grand Men Seng Hotel and participated by different individuals from various government offices, non-governmental organizations, and the media.

Mr. Efren Elbanbuena, Regional Director of the Philippine Information Agency-Region XI, was the main facilitator of the workshop. Representatives from ABK Initiative, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development presented enlightening information about the plight of child laborers in the country.

Did you know that…

1. an estimated 4 million Filipino children aged 5-17 are economically active?

2. 2.4 million thereof are engaged in the worst forms of child labor (mining and quarrying; commercial and sexual exploitation; pyrotechnics production; deep sea fishing; domestic labor; and sugarcane plantation)?

3. 1/3 of working children (1.3 million) did not attend school?

4. child laborers are considered as invisible workers because rarely do employers report that they have minors working for them knowing that hiring of underage employees is unlawful?; as such there is no up-to-date, accurate and comprehensive statistics on child laborers in the Philippines.

5. on the incidence of children in need of special protection recorded by DSWD for the whole Davao Region (2004-06), only 2% of the reported cases comprise those of victims of child labor, underscoring the fact that child laborers are indeed intangible members of the workforce?

Acknowledging that only a negligible percentage of child laborers attend school and eventually finish their studies, ABK Initiative is advocating for direct intervention for these kids through education.

At the end of the workshop, proposals and suggested courses of action were pushed forth by the participants in order to formulate the advocacy plan which ABK Initiative wishes to realize and execute in the future.

*** *** *** *** ***

In response to the need for public dissemination of information regarding child labor issues, Mr. Efren Elbanbuena was invited to guest at the September 16-edition of Mabel At Your Service, Councilor Acosta’s Sunday radio program at DXAB 1296. During the program, Mr. Elbanbuena clarified several concerns about child labor and answered questions posted from MAYS listeners through phone calls and text messages.