JOSE ABAD SANTOS, Davao Occidental — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole)-Davao Region, the local government of Jose Abad Santos (JAS), and partner agencies strengthened efforts to prevent and eliminate child labor through an information and service caravan held on August 20 at JAS Central Elementary School.
The Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) Information and Service Caravan, organized by Dole-Davao and its Davao Occidental Provincial Office with the Regional Council Against Child Labor (RCACL)-Davao, brought government services and assistance closer to 150 children and their parents, including families affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake.
Participating agencies, including the PSA, PhilHealth, Philippine Army, PNP, DOH, DepEd, DSWD, DICT, PIA, and the provincial and municipal governments, provided information, assistance, and services to the beneficiaries.
The initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to protecting Filipino children from hazardous work and ensuring their right to education, safety, and a better future.
JAS Mayor Jason John A. Joyce thanked Dole and its partner agencies for bringing the activity to the municipality.
“We are very honored and happy to have been chosen as the venue for this activity para sa kabataan natin,” Joyce said during an episode of Kapihan sa PIA in Davao Occidental.
No children forced into labor after quake
Joyce said the local government has not recorded cases of children being forced to work because of the earthquake, citing the continued assistance provided by the municipal, provincial, and national governments to affected families and evacuees.
“I can really say, wala talagang bata na napilitang magtrabaho because of the earthquake,” he said.
He noted that children were primarily affected by trauma and the temporary disruption of face-to-face classes.
The mayor said the municipality continues to prioritize children through daycare services, feeding programs, scholarships, financial assistance, and protective services.
“Nayanig man ng lindol ang ating mga bahay, nayanig man ng lindol ang ating mga paaralan, pero hindi mayayanig ng lindol ang ating pag-asa, ang ating kinabukasan at ang magandang bukas para sa mga kabataan,” Joyce said.
Promoting prevention, family intervention
Eduardo Monreal, Dole-Davao Labor and Employment Officer, said the CLPEP caravan aims to bring government services to children and parents while raising awareness of the laws protecting children from exploitation and hazardous work, particularly Republic Act No. 9231.
During the caravan, parents were oriented on child labor prevention and their vital role in keeping children in school and protecting them from work that may compromise their safety, health, and development.
Monreal said the caravan also aims to identify and profile children engaged in child labor and provide appropriate interventions for them and their families.
He explained that children found to be engaged in hazardous work are referred for intervention to help them return to school and avoid dangerous working conditions.
Coastal communities such as JAS, he added, require particular attention because children from fishing families may be exposed to hazardous activities at sea.
“Although fishing may be part of the family’s livelihood or a way of learning the family trade, children should not be taken into deep waters. They should instead be encouraged to return to school,” he said.
Parents may likewise be referred to partner agencies such as Tesda for skills training and DepEd for its Alternative Learning System (ALS).
Convergence is key to eliminating child labor
Monreal emphasized that eliminating child labor requires sustained collaboration among government agencies and communities.
The RCACL-Davao, chaired by Dole with DSWD as co-chair, provides a platform for agencies to complement one another in delivering livelihood, education, health, social protection, and other interventions to vulnerable families.
Joyce, meanwhile, encouraged parents to keep their children in school and make use of available government support and reporting mechanisms for cases of child abuse and child labor.
Through stronger community monitoring, family support, education, and inter-agency collaboration, government agencies seek to ensure that children in Jose Abad Santos remain safe, in school, and free from hazardous child labor. PIA DAVAO
