ACT for Children Alliance is set to conduct the "Eskwelahan sa Kalye" in 15 different barangays in Davao City for the celebration of World Day against child labor on June 12.
Kaugmaon Davao executive director Florie May Tacang, during the I-Speak forum held on Thursday, June 9, at the City Hall Conference Room, said that the alliance composed of Talikala, Kaugmaon, AHA, Child Alert, Lawig Bubai, Alay Mindanao and Lingap Pangkabataan are set to visit strategic areas, including markets to intensify information dissemination on the prevalence of child labor.
She said that these areas include Tibungco, Panacan, Sasa, Piapi, Roxas, Mintal, Toril, Matina Crossing, Agdao, People’s Park and Bangkerohan.
Tacang said that Kaugmaon Foundation, a Davao based non-government organization (NGO) dealing with child laborers, has documented a total of 338 laborers from 2013-2016, in four barangays namely Tibungco, Ilang, Panacan and Callawa.
"These children were involved in scavenging, vending and doing loading services in Public markets," the statement from Kaugmaon read.
Romelyn Cabanes, 15, and one of child laborers adopted by Kaugmaon Foundation, said in the same press conference that since she was 11 she has been helping their family to make ends meet through scavenging.
"Ako kay mutrabaho ko tapos pagnaa na sa skwelahan dili ko kapaminaw og tarong kay ginakapoy ko (I used to work and help but when I am attending school I cannot listen to my teacher well because I was too tired)," Cabanes said.
She also asked for the improvement of the jobs of their parents so that they would be enrolled in schools instead of becoming victims of child labor.
Bernardo Mondragon, also from the ACT Children's Alliance, said that asking children to do tasks to help with the family can be considered as training for the future but if it can interfere with the development of the child it is already child labor.
"It is called child labor if the children are asked to work in conditions that can harm his/her development, and if their job interferes with their studies," Mondragon said.
He admitted that one of the barriers in stopping child labor are different perceptions of the people toward child labor.
Mondragon said that while Children's Welfare Code of Davao City has mandated the establishment of a special office for children's concern, such office has yet to be established.
Tacang said that as relief to family and to help child laborers they had been providing livelihood assistance to the parents in four documented areas.
She said that they get funding from different foreign organizations and different sponsors to push their project.