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DOLE optimistic to soon end child labor in DavNor

DAVAO DEL NORTE (PIA) - - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Davao del Norte field office is optimistic that the child labor problem in the province is soon to end with the convergence of cooperation from national line agencies, local government  units (LGUs), and non-government organizations (NGOs).

In an interview, DOLE Davao del Norte Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program coordinator Dave Andrie Villegas revealed that there is a substantial decrease in number of profiled child laborers in Davao del Norte from more than 6,000 in 2018 to only 537.

Villegas, however, said that  these remaining child laborers have been profiled and their respective families are being given interventions by DOLE, allied NGOs on children, in cooperation with LGUs.

“Dako kaayo ang (There’s great) hope that we can address and  solve the child labor problem. Hugpong kaayo ang pagtinabangay sa mga (There is a united effort to help among) national line agencies, and LGUs, the  province, even the barangay councils. They are supportive to the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program,”  he  told PIA Davao del Norte.

Villegas said majority of the child laborers in Davao del Norte were working in banana plantations and in farms or generally in the agriculture  sector.

Aside from social media  and community advocacy, DOLE here strengthens its livelihood program intervention intended for families of child laborers, specifically providing parents the means to earn a living and making sure that the child laborers continue their schooling.

Villegas added that other government line agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Education (DepEd) join the crusade of addressing the child labor concern.

“We heve the H.E.L.P.  ME Convergence Program addressing the  health, education, livelihood  that is very helpful in responding to the concerns of our child laborers,”  he said, referring to health, education, livelihood, and prevention, protection, and prosecution, monitoring and evaluation.

On  the other hand, he called on parents and guardians of child laborers to make sure that these children enjoy their childhood, get their education for them to contribute to nation-building,

“..Particularly atong mga ginakanan, mga guardians ipa-enjoy nato ang mga bata sa ilang pagkabata (let’s allow them to  enjoy their  childhood) and i-send nato sila sa mga (let’s send them to) schools. As what Dr. Jose Rizal said, ‘ang kabataan ang siyang pag-asa ng bayan’ (the youth is the hope of our fatherland); and if we kill that dreams that as early as early childhood, wala na jud pag-laum ang atong bayan (our nation would no longer have its hope.),” he said. (JMDA/PIA Davao del Norte)

About the Author

Jeanevive Abangan

Deputy Regional Head

Region 11

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