Alarmed by the report of the International Labor Organization (ILO) that approximately 2.4 million minors aged nine to 17 are already working in the country, the Philippine government has recently expressed interest in focusing on one of poverty’s alarming repercussions-child labor.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano recently called upon concerned government agencies to come up with more tangible plans that will track down industries, parents, or guardians who force children into labor.
It can be recalled that in October last year, the United States issued a $15 million grant through the ILO. According to a report from a local newspaper, World Vision Phillippines was chosen as the implementing entity of the grant that aims provide vocational education to targeted children; fortify the quality of education through effective teacher traning; develop the school curriculum; and refurbish damaged school infrastructures. The projects were eyed to run from October 2011 to September 2015.
Taking into consideration Cayetano’s heed to battle child labor and the report of ILO over radio station dzRB, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigaill Valte addressed the situation. She cited projects of government agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to save children who are already employed.
Among DOLE’s outlined plans included making 80 villages (with prevalent child-labor cases) in the Philippines “child-labor free” in 2012. The plan requires the participation of community officials, mainly the chairman of each village, to see to it that the incidence of child labor in their respective communities are indentified, eliminated, and prevented from occuring again.
Believing that poverty is the root cause of child labor in the country, Cayetano, meanwhile, pointed out that the government must also see to it that the parents of these children are supported and guided as well. The lawmaker also said that a rehabilitation plan is necessary for the parents and the children to prevent them from coming back from their old lifestyle. In the Philippines, children working on the streets are rampant to the point that it became common to one’s sight. Unfortunately, in most cases, children are being forced to work because their own guardian or parents made them do so.
It is disheartening to know that it took other countries to point out the alarming situation of the poor children in the country before authorities took notice and really focused on helping them.
Nonetheless, the important thing now is that plans will be finally laid down to eradicate child labor once and for all. But as much as the government is expected to make an effort to put child labor to end, raising a child properly relies on a good foundation— the home.
Parents, no matter how poor, should not use poverty as an excuse to deprive their children of education. They should not also blame their situation all on the government, because projects also require their participation. Everybody must work hand in hand in the fight against poverty and child labor.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(NYNJ March 30-April 5, 2012 Sec A pg.6)
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