CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--To spark continuing conversation and inspire action, ChildFund Philippines, through Project Sustainable Programs for Education, Advocacies, and Knowledge (Project SPEAK), in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Kaanib Foundation Inc., launched its multimedia campaign with the unveiling of an advocacy billboard at SM CDO City Uptown, Gaisano Mall, the Philippine Ports Authority in Macabalan, and Laguindingan Airport, August 16.
Diosdado Wana, director, program and sponsorship, ChildFund Philippines, shared, "Through these billboards and videos, we aim to shed light on the flight of hundreds and thousands of Filipino children still trapped in exploitative labor."
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that in 2022, there are 4.7%, or a total of 1.48 million children ages 5–17, who are working.
Moreover, across regions, unfortunately, Region 12, northern Mindanao, and BARMM posted the highest proportion of working children, with 12.3%, 8.6%, and 7.3%, respectively.
And out of the 1.4 million children that are working, PSA said 56%, or 828,000, of them are believed to be engaged in child labor, including those working in hazardous conditions.
"Let us remember that change will start with awareness and empathy. Let us use our collective voice to advocate for stronger policies and enforcement, improve working conditions, and increase access to education for every Filipino child," he said.
Meanwhile, DOLE-10 is one of the government agencies that puts forth efforts to reduce or even eradicate the prevalence of child labor in Northern Mindanao.
In 2022, DOLE-10 was able to profile 20,381 child laborers across the region. All of the profiled child laborers were referred to various partners, regional line agencies, and stakeholders for appropriate services.
A total of 865 parents of child laborers were given livelihood assistance in the form of starting kits, while another 6,997 child laborers were provided with Project Angel Tree.
For the first semester of the year 2023, DOLE has already monitored a total of 4,058 child laborers out of the target of 20,381, and this is a continuing challenge for the department, Estrella U. Pahalla, OIC-regional director of DOLE-10, said.
Furthermore, DOLE has given 1,377 parents of child laborers livelihood assistance, for a total of 588 child laborers under Project Angel Tree.
The DOLE has also established strong linkages and partnerships with local government units and other stakeholders such as the Kaanib Foundation, ChildFund Philippines, World Vision, and Project Ace to amplify this awareness through a family-based approach.
"The giant billboards and the infomercial video materials carry the message of guarantee to raise awareness, mobilize support, and engage stakeholders while galvanizing collective action to address the pressing social issues of child labor," Pahalla said.
Erlinda T. Sayago, project coordinator of Kaanib Foundation Inc., said Project SPEAK, or Sustainable Program for Education, Advocacy, and Knowledge, is implemented in the province of Bukidnon, City of Malaybalay, and covers four barangays in the Upper Pulangi District. This is funded by the European Union.
The project aims to capacitate civil society, the local government unit, and line agencies to contribute to the effort to combat child labor in crop agriculture in the region. (JMOR/PIA-10)
