The increasing number of minors engaged in child labor has long been a challenge to the government, especially to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The government, however, assured that it is responding to address the matter despite the threat brought about by the pandemic.
The DOLE Bureau of Workers with Special Concern is currently focused in the profiling of child laborers in the country. At least 266,000 child laborers have been profiled and were given necessary intervention. Around 56,000 were also saved from their engagement with child labor.
Atty. Karina Trayvilla, Director of BWSC, said the National Council Against Child Labor is addressing the issue through the initiative of the DOLE and other government agencies.
Among the measures currently being undertaken is the creation of more programs to assist the said individuals. Still, the DOLE said the battle against child labor has a long way to go before it is completely abated.
“’Yung evidence-based natin na data, ito yung ginagamit natin for recalibrating our responses (The evidence-based data is what we use for recalibrating our responses),” Trayvilla said.
“We will reformulate our targets kung dadagdagan o babawasan. Titingnan pa natin depende doon sa magiging outcome ng survey na ilalabas We will reformulate our targets whether we will add or deduct. We will see depending on the survey’s outcome),” Trayvilla added.
Based on the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), a total of 2.1 million Filipinos were engaged in child labor in 2011. The latest data has yet to be handed over to the DOLE. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
