Child workers

ALTHOUGH a law prohibits the employment of persons below 15 years old, this poverty stricken nation of more than 90 million people is teeming with child workers.

Due to grinding poverty, which has been forcing more and more to seek employment abroad, parents encourage their children to stop going to school and just look for jobs.

And it is certainly sickening to note that some of these minors are engaged in hazardous work and, in some instances, even commit heinous crimes. Allowing children to be exploited and abused is unconscionable.

Thus, we support the view of a group of legislators, including Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, that if we are to eradicate child labor, the government must first address the problem of widespread poverty in the country.

“These minors need to enjoy their childhood… develop mentally and physically under the care of their parents,” said Romualdez, a banker, educator, and lawyer who champions the cause of the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the youth.

The freshman solon from Leyte called on the Department of Labor and Employment to go after fireworks factories in Bulacan that continue to employ the services of minors.

Sharing Romualdez’ sentiments are An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Lani Cayetano, and Rep. Joel Villanueva of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption.

Despite the fact that the country is a signatory to many international laws and conventions on child labor, there are still unscrupulous employers who capitalize on the children’s docility and illiteracy to make them do dehumanizing and hazardous work on starvation pay.

Villanueva said this systematic exploitation renders children physically and mentally impaired.

We concede that poor families have no choice but to require their kids to work to enable them to survive today’s high cost of living.

But the government will court public disenchantment and unpopularity if it ignores the plight of the country’s child workers.

It’s time to intensify the nationwide campaign against child abuse and child exploitation. –People’s Journal