The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) lauds the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for rescuing an estimated 90,000 minors engaged in child labor since they began their child laborers profiling initiative in 2018.

The Labor department, through its Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), aimed to create a database detailing the demographic, as well as appropriate services and interventions, necessary to save a child from harmful labor or economic activity. This is in fulfillment of the Philippine Development Plan 2017–2022 goal of reducing child labor cases by 30 percent. Thus far, DOLE has collected information on 454,520 child workers across the country. Of which, 105,826 were provided with government assistance on health and education. Their parents also received livelihood amelioration.

CHR commends DOLE for the evidence-based and child-centered approach to address a pressing child rights issue. We cite the latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicating a 70 percent decline in the number of child laborers in 2020 compared to 2011. From around 2.1 million a decade ago, it was down to 596,900 in 2020.

Ending child labor requires strong political will from our leaders and harmonised efforts among key sectors. With this positive development, the Commission hopes for the continued efforts of our government to equip parents with the necessary tools and means so children are raised in a safe environment where their physical, mental and psychosocial health are nurtured.

Let us not deny our children of their childhood and their potential. Invest in their future by upholding their dignity, freedoms, and fundamental human rights. ###