THE government will mark this year’s celebration of the World Day Against Child Labor with the implementation of a four-year project aimed at sending child workers to school, particularly in areas with high incidence of child labor.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the DoLE will sign today an agreement with the World Vision Development Foundation and the Christian Children’s Fund to give child workers access to education.

The project, dubbed ABK2 (Pag-aaral ng mga Bata Para sa Kinabukasan) or TEACh (Take Every Action for Children), was launched at the DoLE head office in Intramuros, Manila last February.

The DoLE chief said child workers often drop out of school to work and supplement family income.

“To help the children sustain their schooling, the ABK2 project would provide resources and access to relevant education programs to targeted beneficiaries. Project activities would focus on reducing child workers’ barriers to attending formal school and expanding skills and business based learning opportunities for children ages 15-17 years old,” he said.

“Educating the children while providing their parents with income sources are the long-term solutions seen to break the bondage of poverty that ties child workers and their families to the cycle of child labor,” Roque said.

Parents of the beneficiaries will also be oriented to pro-poor programs that provide wage and livelihood opportunities to improve their economic status. The project will be implemented in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Leyte, Davao del Sur, and Compostela Valley.

THE Department of Labor and Employment on Thursday announced the launching of a four-year school project for child workers, which highlights the observance of the World Day Against Child Labor.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque in a statement said the project will be implemented by the government in areas where there is a high incidence of child labor.

“Educating the children while providing their parents with income sources are long-term solution seen to break the bondage of poverty that ties child workers and their families to child labor,” Roque said.

The areas to be covered by the project are Metro Manila, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Oriental, Cebu, Leyte, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley.

The Labor secretary said the project will be formalized by the government on Friday with the signing of an agreement with the World Vision Development Fund and the Christian Children’s Fund.

The school project is called ABK 2 or Pag-aaral ng mga Bata Para sa Kinabukasan), and TEACH which stands for Take Every Action for Children. It will be support with grants coming from the US Labor Department.

The labor chief said ABK 2 will reducing child workers’ barrier in attending formal schooling.

At the same time, the Labor department will connect parents of beneficiaries to its pro-poor programs that will provide livelihood opportunities.

Fewer children are being drafted into the Philippines labor force, but keeping them in school remains a major challenge, a United Nations official said Thursday.

The number of Filipino children aged between five and 14 who are in the labor force has fallen from 913,000 in 2003 to 774,000 in 2005, said Keiko Niimi, a regional official of the UN’s International Labor Organization.

“Despite all efforts, the fight against child labour remains a challenge,” she said during a ceremony in Manila to mark World Day Against Child Labor.

While the figures signal improvement, Niimi cited troubling Education department data that showed the school participation rate dropping to a seven-year low of 38.22 percent in the 2006-2007 school year.

The poor must often choose whether to educate their children or send them to work to help support the family, she said. In some cases, children attending schools must walk long distances, lack quality instruction and study materials, and often have to study in poor physical facilities.

– Anthony Vargas with AFP

MANILA, Philippines – A four-year school project for child workers will highlight the Philippines’ observance of this year’s World Day Against Child Labor (WDACL), the Labor Department said Thursday.

Labor secretary Marianito Roque said the government will implement the program particularly in areas where there is high incidence of child labor.

“Educating the children while providing their parents with income sources are the long-term solutions seen to break the bondage of poverty that ties child workers and their families to the cycle of child labor,” Roque said.

A statement on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) website www.dole.gov.ph said the project would be implemented in areas where there is high incidence of child labor.

The school project will cover Metro Manila, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Leyte, Davao del Sur, and Compostela Valley.

Roque said the government will formalize the program Friday by signing an agreement with the World Vision Development Foundation (WDF) and the Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) “to celebrate the WDACL and provide for the implementation of the project that would give child workers access to educational opportunities.”

He said representatives of the DOLE, WDF, CCF, and other social partners in the national drive against child labor would gather at the Bulacan State University (BSU) in Malolos, Bulacan to mark WDACL.

The DOLE, WDF, and CCF representatives will sign the memorandum of agreement on the ABK2 project during the celebration, he said.

Roque said the theme of the celebration, “Education is the right response to child labor,” underscores the importance of education as a major strategy in preventing and eliminating child labor.

While WDACL is commemorated around the world every June 12 since 2002, the Philippines will celebrate it June 13 this year, in deference of the country’s Independence Day.

Dubbed ABK2 (Pag-aaral ng mga Bata Para sa Kinabukasan) or TEACh (Take Every Action for Children), the project will be implemented with grants from the United States Department of Labor.

The program was launched at the DOLE in Intramuros, Manila last February with US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Ann Kenney in attendance.