BAGUIO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Education-Cordillera builds up support for collaborative efforts aimed at combatting child labor.
During the Child Labor–Effective Awareness and Response in Cordillera Administrative Region (CLEAR CAR) Project Launch and Stakeholder’s Dialogue led by the World Vision Development Foundation, Inc. (WVDF) in Baguio City on January 28, 2025, DepEd-CAR Regional Director Estela Carino acknowledged that child labor is becoming a problem in the region, and that education can play a significant part in solving this concern.
“Years back, we can easily identify what is really child labor, but we did not speak about it at all. But just like other problems – such as mental health and wellness, which is a problem especially in our schools – it is about time that we recognize that child labor is already becoming a problem here in the region,” Carino said.
Poverty is no reason for us to let children be engaged in child labor, she added.
Carino emphasized the importance of collaboration to create a better future for the children, free from exploitation and harm.
On that occasion, DepEd-CAR and the WVDF forged a memorandum of understanding to enhance the capacity of educators teaching elementary and high school learners in the region including World Vision-Assisted areas.
Both parties commit themselves to fully observe integrity, transparency, mutual respect and accountability in undertaking and pursuing the objectives of the MOU. They shall explore collaboration on possible support from each organization, based on each institutional capacity.
Carino thanked the WVDF and the local government units for partnering with them toward a child-labor-free future.
“Thank you that we have these partners, DepEd cannot do it alone. We have to recognize that even reading, why do we say so much about reading? Because it is basic. How can a person or child understand things when he doesn’t read,” Carino said.
MOUs/ memoranda of agreement were also signed between the Lingap Pangkabataan Inc. (LPI) represented by Ana Liza Cortez and some local executives from Mountain Province, Ifugao and Benguet for the implementation of community development projects that will have significant impact in the lives of children and their families.
These are part of the CLEAR CAR Project, a three-year project aimed at ending child labor in the Cordillera, which is co-funded by the European Union, and with the WVDF and LPI as among the implementers. (JDP/MAWC-PIA CAR)
