DOLE to expand list of hazardous jobs for children

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will soon come out with a new list of jobs considered hazardous for young workers.

Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad said the DOLE is working to expand the list of hazardous work and activities for laborers below 18 years of age.

Lagunzad said there is a need to come out with a new list considering the emergence of new occupations, industries and work arrangements.

The updated list, he said, seeks to categorize work according to sub-major occupations, non-negotiable industries, specific tasks hazardous to children’s health and the allowable work permitted.

A task is considered hazardous when the dangerous or unhealthy working conditions could result in death or injury to the worker.

Bharati Pflug of the International Labor Organization-International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor based in Geneva said the government, employers and workers’ organizations play a role in determining the hazardous child labor list.

Pflug said the list should be updated every three to five years.

The DOLE’s Institute for Labor Studies cited the need to accelerate efforts in eliminating 2.9 million children engaged in hazardous work.

In 2011, the National Statistics Office estimated that about 99 percent of child laborers were engaged in hazardous work, mostly in the agriculture sector.

Labor officials said a technical workshop would be conducted to harmonize and finalize the list of hazardous jobs from the inputs gained from DOLE regional offices and stakeholders’ consultations.