ILOILO CITY (PIA) — The Regional Council Against Child Labor (RCACL) updated its member agencies on the child labor efforts carried out in the region.
On Sept. 25, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 6 provided information on the current status of the child labor prevention and elimination program, the Philippine Program Against Child Labor (PPACL) strategic framework for 2024-2028, and a report on the 2024 monitoring of child laborers.
DOLE 6 OIC-Assistant Regional Director Melisa S. Navarra delivered a welcome message during the RCACL meeting.
She cited the importance of concerted efforts in crafting plans to ensure the welfare and protection of children.
“The DOLE has always been at the forefront of providing assistance to child laborers and their parents with the main goal of having a child-free Philippines, envisioning the impact of a resilient, transformed, empowered life of child laborers, children at risk of child labor, and families and communities, towards a sense of self-worth and holistic and sustainable development,” said Navarra.
She added that there is a need for an interagency approach to provide programs, especially in ending the problem of child labor, not only in interagency activities but also in the local government units.
“I think we all know that it really takes a village to care for a child and to provide welfare and protection to the children, much more to end child labor,” Navarra highlighted, adding that DOLE has forged partnerships with the LGUs most especially in efforts to provide livelihood programs to parents of child laborers.
As for the monitoring report as of August 31, 2024, DOLE revealed that 12,157 child laborers were profiled from 2018 to 2021.
For 2024 alone, Aklan has recorded 13, Antique with 139, Capiz with 22 child laborers profiled, Guimaras has 2, 97 for Iloilo, and 148 for Negros Occidental, all summed up to 421.
Regarding the referral updates on child laborers, requests were lobbied to concerned agencies.
Under DOLE, there were 10,403 served under its various programs; for the Department of Social Welfare and Development, there were 2,236 requests forwarded; for the Department of Education there were 1,306 beneficiaries identified; for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority with 2,331 skills training sought; for the Department of Health 87 requests for medical assistance; for the Commission on Higher Education 1,038 scholarship requests; for National Housing Authority there were 107 housing requests and 12 registration assistance for the Philippine Statistics Authority. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6)
