ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 9 has identified the agri-fishery sector as the primary contributor to child labor in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
This is the sector where children are often seen working alongside their parents. The children often find themselves working in fields and on fishing boats to help their parents make ends meet.
DOLE said about 26,000 children, or 5 percent of the country’s total child labor population, can be found on the peninsula. Nationwide, some 1.3 million children were reported to be engaged in various labor activities.
DOLE-9 has been proactive in its efforts to combat child labor. Between 2018 and 2022, the agency profiled over 22,000 children through the work of community facilitators conducting enumeration. These children were subsequently referred to various government programs tailored to address their specific needs, providing much-needed support to improve their circumstances.
Imelda Gatinao, assistant regional director of DOLE 9, highlighted the significant role of parents in preventing child labor. “Sometimes parents are the perpetrators. It is the primary responsibility of the parents—they are supposed to understand that children should not leave schooling,” Gatinao added. She emphasized the need for continuous community engagement to raise awareness and tackle the root causes of child labor.
Poverty and a lack of awareness are key drivers of child labor in the country. Many families face economic hardships that compel children to work, sacrificing their education and childhood. DOLE 9’s Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program aims to address these socio-economic factors comprehensively.
One of the highlighted activities is the observation of World Day Against Child Labor, where DOLE initiated a mural painting and poster-making contest to use art as a form of awareness and information dissemination to the public to contribute to ending child labor in the region. DOLE also distributed livelihood starter kits to 50 parents and guardians of child laborers in Zamboanga City.
Gatinao stressed the importance of collective responsibility in guiding children towards a better future. “If everyone will take part in that responsibility of guiding the children for a better future, then we will have a society soon with responsible adults,” she added. (EDT/MLE/PIA Region 9-Zamboanga City)
