June 12 is World Day Against Child Labor

KORONADAL CITY – There are at least four million children aged 5-17 or a ratio of 1 out of 6 Filipino children in the Philippines who are experiencing worst forms of child labor based in 2001 National Statistics Office (NSO) survey.

Gloria Tango, Regional Director of the Department of Labor and Employment 12 revealed this recently in a press briefing among members of the media in the region during the the June 12 world day against child labor.

Tango said, “child labor involves hazardous work, which are likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.”

“Some sectors where children are exposed to hazards are in agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, domestic work and in scavenging or waste-picking,” Tango added.

Tango also disclosed that most of the working children are currently in Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry with 2, 140, 955 based on NSO records followed by wholesale and retail trade with 746, 681, and Private household with employed persons with 230, 021.

“Our vision is to achieve a child-labor free Philippines on 2016 through prevention and progressive elimination of child labor, healing and reintegration,” Tango emphasized.

“I call on policy makers, enforcers, members of the media and decision makers to be advocates of children’s rights,” she said.

The press briefing is in line with the celebration of the World Day Against Child Labor held on June 12, 2011. It draws attention to the global extent of child labor and the efforts needed to eliminate it.