Child Labor Situation in the Philippines

This paper summarizes the findings of the Survey on Working Children Aged 5-17 Years Old conducted in July 1995 by the National Statistics Office.  It reports on the magnitude of working children in the Philippines and their reasons for working, their industrial concentration and working conditions, terms of employment, and educational background.

Some of the policy implications cited are:  economic handicap, indicating the country’s failure to move the economy at pace with the demands of Filipino families; inadequacy of jobs for adults, compelling children to engage in early work; and lack of support mechanisms in rural areas, indicating the need to generate more formal economic opportunities in the countryside.  The paper also notes the weak enforcement of safety standards, and stresses the need to improve working conditions and strengthen the enforcement of safety standards in the workplace.

It recommends that economic mechanisms be provided to improve the living conditions of working children.  At the same time, it proposes to refocus programs for children to cover the geographical areas that have been overlooked; and reeducate the working children, parents and the Filipino society on the appropriate social and cultural mores to restore values that will strengthen the basic foundation of the family.