EACH barangay council should also include the issue on resolving child labor as one of its priority programs, a non-government organization (NGO) said on Monday.
Speaking during the Kapehan sa SM Davao, Florie May B. Tacang, executive director of Kaugmaon Center for Children's Concerns Foundation Inc., said the barangay council should keep an eye on the number of child laborers among their constituents.
She said that Kaugmaon holds no exact data as to how many children, so far, are being employed at a young age as it should be the task of the barangay to identify families with child laborer.
"Invisible gyud sa plataporma ug programa sa barangay kay hantud karon, walay klarong pamaagi ang na-install aron mahibalo-an kung pila ang ihap sa mga pamilya nga adunay anak nga child laborer," Tacang said in a statement.
Last year, she said a study of the group showed that the villages of Tibungco, Ilang, Callawa, and Panacan have a number of child laborers.
r"Tungod kay kadaghanan niini nga child laborers, nagahimo ug odd jobs," she said.
"Wala gyud klarong ihap ang child laborers niini nga mga barangay. Ug tungod niini, ang ilang mga concerns ug panginahanglan kanunay gyud nga dili matagad," she added.
She said in order to make a comprehensive and effective move against child labor, the Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children (BCPC) must be activated.
"Ato silang i-locate diha sa ginahimo natong programa," Tacang said.
Ma. Victoria Laterna, 17, who was also present during the press conference on Monday, said she was once a child laborer when she was employed in a beauty salon when she was only 16.
She used to go home around 11 p.m. then, she said.
"Wala ko kabalo unsay child labor dati. Nadani ra ko sa akong amiga nga mutrabaho sa parlor para ma sustain ang pag skwela sa ALS (Alternative Learning System) ug didto ra nako nasabtan unsa gyud ang child labor," she said.
Under the law, children below 15 years of age shall not be employed except when a child works directly under the sole responsibility of his/her parents or legal guardian and where only members of his/her family are employed; and where a child's employment or participation in public entertainment or information through cinema, theater, radio, television or other forms of media is essential.
It also states that a child below 15 years of age may be allowed to work for not more than 20 hours a week; a child 15 years of age but below 18 shall not be allowed to work for more than eight hours a day, and in no case beyond 40 hours a week; no child below 15 years of age shall be allowed to work between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. of the following day and no child 15 years of age but below 18 shall be allowed to work between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. of the following day.
Laterna said she hopes that the information dissemination on Child Labor Law must be comprehensive and effective in order not to violate any children’s right. (ANC)