DOLE beefs up campaign versus child labor in Davao region

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=771881
• Friday, June 12, 2015

By Digna D. Banzon [(PNA), CTB/LCM/DDB/LDP]

DAVAO CITY, June 12 (PNA) -– The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region XI has beefed up its HELP ME Convergence Program and advocacy drive against child labor.

The HELP ME, which is an acronym for health services and medical assistance, education and training, livelihood opportunities for families of child laborers, prevention, protection and prosecution and for monitoring and evaluation, is aimed at implementing sustainable, responsive, focused and synchronized strategies to effectively address the child labor problem.

DOLE XI Regional Director Joffrey Suyao said the program is in line with the government’s vision of a Child Labor-Free Philippines in partnership with by communities through “Child Labor Friendly Barangay”.

In last year’s survey dubbed Profiling of Vulnerable Works, Suyao said there were 256 profiled child laborers in the region mostly in the agricultural sector. Suyao however pointed out the survey did not cover all barangays in the region as there were only 25 barangays surveyed and that excluded Mt. Diwata where most small scale mining operations are located.

According to Suyao, the types of work engaged in by the children are farm labor in agricultural areas while others engage in scavenging and domestic works in urban areas.

Meanwhile, he said as reported by the Municipal Social Welfare Development officer of Monkayo, Compostela Valley province, there were 174 child laborers identified in barangay Diwata in small-scale mining industry.

Since the last survey, Suyao said government program has been initiated to address child labor issues such as the Sagip Batanga Manggagawa in 2013 when three minors were rescued in a plastic recycling factory; the Project Angel Tree which assisted 1,064 children; and, in collaboration with six organizations the associations of parents of child laborers were provided livelihood assistance.

Suyao said that in October five barangays in the Davao Region will be conferred as Child Labor-Free Barangay.