ILO to look into child labor problem in Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY—The International Labor Organization (ILO-Manila)is coordinating with the labor department in the region in its bid to address child labor problem in this part of the country.

Jess Macasil, senior program officer of the ILO-Manila, said they are set to implement the second phase of a continuing program this year in the province of Northern Samar.

The program would also be simultaneously implemented in other areas such as Masbate, Bukidnon, and Quezon where child labor remains a top concern.

The four provinces were selected based on the 2001 child labor survey which he said is already outdated.

To better quantify the data on child labor in Northern Samar and other areas, Macasil said they also used the dropout rate, poverty incidence, and the number of poor families including the survery on poulation and family income.

Macasil disclosed that as part of their method in acquiring accurate and updated data about the situation of the concerned children and their families, the ILO would try this year to come up with a baseline data of the poor families in Northern Samar, particularly for Region 8.

He added that a follow-up national survey would also be conducted next year to arrive at a poverty data comparison between regions in the country.
Macasil said Region 8 was only included in this program in the second phase as drop out rates, poverty incidence, and population of poor families in the area became noticeably increasing.

Macasil said they are determined to withdraw the children involved from child labor and integrate them to formal education system.

He revealed that they will also try to provide livelihood assistance to the families of these children.

“Education is good but not enough. We are posing this as a challenge to ourselves and to the local government units involve also,” Macasil said.
The Child Labor Act prohibits the use of children below 18 years old for slavery, armed conflicts, prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking and work hazardous to health.

Macasil said the ILO has been helping member-states, like the Philippines, enforce ILO Convention 182, an international convention against the worst forms of child labor. (LEMUEL PAGLIAWAN)