Child labor diminishes us

by Dennis Berino
from The Manila Times

Poverty has many faces. Hunger, out-of-school youth, illegal settlers. One of the most invidious however is making children work to help support their families.

It is the right of children to be nurtured, to go to school, to play, to be nourished and have fun and grow up and have a normal childhood. It is the duty of families, government and society at large to provide the wherewithal, resources and services for the children to have food and sustenance, education, recreation, safe environment—and all else needed to ensure their well-being.

The National Statistics Office estimates that there are 4 million child laborers in the country as of 2004, an 8-percent increase from 3.7 million in 1996. More than half are engaged in the worst forms of child labor, while around 30 percent, or 1.25 million of these working children are not attending school. Many of the children are compelled to work in crop plantations, mining, quarries and factories. These illegal and immoral practices are being openly done with the tacit knowledge of their parents and the shameful individuals and businesses which employ them.

The International Labor Organization says that the Philippines have a long history of legislation that protects the rights and welfare of children. The Labor Code of the Philippines, which was enacted into law in 1974, set the minimum age of employment at 15 years and prohibited the employment of persons below 18 years of age in hazardous undertakings. Presidential Decree No. 603 (The Child and Youth Welfare Code) allows the employment of children aged 16 years and below only if they perform light work, which is not harmful to their safety, health or normal development, and which is not prejudicial to their studies. Strict guidelines were laid down on their rates of pay, hours of work and other conditions of employment. An employment permit also has to be secured from the Department of Labor.

Following the spirit of the 1987 Constitution, national and local legislation have given priority to the protection of children from abuse and exploitation. There is the 1992 Republic Act No. 7610 (Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act). This was amended in 1994 thru Republic Act No. 7658 reaffirming the minimum age of employment to 15 years, and 18 years and above for hazardous work. Republic Act 7160 (The Local Government Code of 1991) includes provisions for the proper development and welfare of children at the basic political level, the barangay. It enjoins local officials to promote and support activities for the protection and total development of children, particularly those below seven years of age, and adopt measures to prevent and eradicate drug abuse, child abuse, and juvenile delinquency.

These are just some of the laws but in spite of them, child labor continues. A child advocacy group sums up this malaise effectively: “We regard the youth as the future movers of our country. They will inherit the pride and heritage which has been earned by the sweat, blood and tears of our ancestors. Thus, they must be entitled to the proper preparation to lead this country. And we firmly believe that in forcing these very children to give all of that up just to be able to put food on their families’ tables puts that same future in grave danger.”

“The government and society, in their own respectful way, are willing to aid in the solution to this problem. But it is a fact that it is not as simple as passing new laws but in the fortification of proper implementation. It is therefore imperative for all people of this nation to voice out this concern and to be willing to truly usher in the solution to this ever-growing plight.”

The author teaches at the De La Salle Professional Schools Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. Graduate School of Business. He acknowledges the inputs of two of his students in the above column. He welcomes comments at dennis.berino-@dlsps.edu.ph.