WASHINGTON – US Labor Secretary Hilda Solis on Monday announced a grant of $15 million for a project to combat exploitative child labor in sugarcane growing areas in the Philippines.
The grant was awarded to World Vision to – among other things – increase children’s access to quality education and promote sustainable livelihoods for children’s households. It is estimated that four million Filipino children aged 5-17 are working in hazardous or inhumane conditions in agriculture, mining, and fishing industries and many more are sexually exploited.
“The Philippine government welcomes the innovative initiative of the US government, through the Department of Labor, in fighting exploitative child labor, in terms of programmatic interventions and policy recommendations,” Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. said.
Cuisia attended the formal launching of the grant. Also present was Senator Tom Harkin, a champion of child labor issues in the US Congress.
Cuisia said the grant complements the social development framework of the Philippine Development Plan for 2011-2016.
An earlier $5.5-million grant to World Vision-Philippines from the US labor department was instrumental in rescuing 61,000 Filipino children from oppressive labor conditions. The grant was for a four-year anti-child labor project, which ended last month. – Pia Lee Brago, Jose Katigbak The STAR Washington Bureau (The Philippine Star)
It’s women’s month!
“Support women every day of the year!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and Made-in-the-Philippines
Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
Mar 4— Employee Appreciation Day
Mar 15 — World Consumer Rights Day
Mar 18 — Global Recycling Day
Mar 21 — International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Mar 23 — International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
Mar 25 — International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
Mar 27 — Earth Hour
