The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has partnered with three non-government organizations (NGOs) to strengthen efforts toward child labor prevention and elimination in Negros Occidental in observance of the 2025 World Day Against Child Labor.
DOLE-Western Visayas Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. forged partnerships with Ilog Kinderhome Foundation Inc. executive director Gilda Cadagat, Christian Advocates for Justice and Development-Negros (CAJDEN) Inc. executive director Lina Ganaba, and Sugar Industry Foundation Inc. (SIFI) president and chief operating officer Edith Villanueva at rites at 888 GT Mall in Bacolod City on Thursday, June 12.
Under the agreement, the DOLE and the NGO partner will “develop and implement a community-based capacity building and advocacy campaign on child labor prevention and elimination.”
The parties signed a pledge of commitment “to respect and uphold the rights of the Negrense children to be safe, happy and empowered regardless of their age, culture, gender, language, religious belief, physical and mental disability.”
They also committed “to fervently support the policies, projects and activities of the DOLE child labor prevention and elimination program and other partner government agencies under the Philippine Program Against Child Labor Convergence that ensures zero tolerance of child abuse and exploitation in any forms.”
During the event, Angela Gido, 20, a former child laborer, shared how the DOLE, through its partnership with CAJDEN, has helped her stop doing dangerous jobs.
The DOLE also provided livelihood assistance for her mother, Emilyn, a solo parent who is raising Angela and her five siblings.
“Through the referral of CAJDEN, my mother became part of the DOLE livelihood program, enabling her to open a sari-sari store with rice retailing. Because of that, I no longer need to work dangerous jobs. Now, I’m still a working student but with dignity. I earn my allowance by selling handmade flower bouquets,” said the sophomore Office Administration student of Bacolod City College.
Gido, the second eldest child, started working in a wholesale store when she was only 13, and also sold food items to her classmates to help her family make ends meet.
At 17, she attended a global conference in Rwanda to represent child laborers in the Philippines and helped bring about the Kigali Declaration on Child Care and Protection Reform.
“Through the help of CAJDEN and DOLE, many child laborers and working children have already graduated and are now working in corporate, government, tourism, media and other fields,” she said.
This year’s observance of the World Day Against Child Labor in the Philippines is themed “Sa Bagong Pilipinas: Mag-aaral ang Bata, Hindi Manggagawa (Under the New Philippines: Children will Study, Not Toil)!”*PNA