Davao City celebrates World Day Against Child Labor

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Davao City Field Office, in partnership with the City Government of Davao through the Special Office for Children’s Concerns (SOCC) and the Project Angel Tree Community Establishments, celebrated the World Day Against Child Labor with a program of children’s activities at the Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao on Thursday, June 30, 2022.

One hundred children—classified as “working children” by DOLE definition—and their parents from Agdao Proper, Barangay 78-A Bucana, Matina Pangi, Isla Verde, and Lubugan participated in the event, where they got to play games and win prizes such as mobile phones, home appliances, and clothing.  They were also entertained with a magic show and an acrobatic performance. Each child went home with a school bag and a sack of rice.

In an interview with the City Information Office, SOCC Head Consorcia Ronquillo said that the event aims to restore a semblance of childhood wonder to working children and urge them to concentrate on educational pursuits despite being exposed to the world of labor very early on. She also declared that their office is determined to reduce the cases of child labor in the city.

“Kini atong programa gyud no, kita nga naa sa gobyerno atong gipaningkamotan gyud na ma-eliminate or at least ma-lessen ang atong cases of child labor … Hatagan nato sila kanunay gyud og pagtagad labaw na sa ilang pagskwela (This program of ours, us working in the government are really striving to eliminate or at least lessen the cases of child labor. We will constantly give these children our attention, most especially in terms of their education),” Ronquillo said.

Although most cases of child labor are voluntary—wherein children willingly find some form of employment or source of income to help sustain their family financially—the SOCC Head said parents must spare their children from the detrimental effects child labor bring on young minds and the children’s future. She said the SOCC, with help from DOLE XI and other stakeholders, is currently developing community-based programs that will focus on responsible parenting to address the issue.

“Nagahimo mi og programa karon ‘no in partnership with other stakeholders nga unta ang mga ginikanan dili nila iduso ang mga kabatan-onan ‘ron na manarbaho tungod kay makaapekto gyud ni sa ilaha … Ug ang uban pud naganahan na sila makakuha og kwarta, naundang na nuon og eskwela. I hope ‘no sa mga ginikanan masabtan nila ni ngano nag come up ta og World Day Against Child Labor [event] (We are currently formulating programs in partnership with other stakeholders so that parents would not compel their children to work because this would really affect them. Other children would actually prefer making an income and as a result, would lose interest in education),” Ronquillo added.

According to DOLE Davao City Field Office Senior Employment Officer Lariele P. Arce, over 4000 children in Davao City engage in some form of child labor since 2018.  Out of these, 1,200 had been withdrawn from the profile list or are no longer considered working children; while 2,500 are currently receiving social interventions in the form of education and livelihood grants. Since the start of 2022, at least 556 children in Davao City were profiled as working children. CIO