Fewer Filipino children engaged in hazardous work in 2022 – PSA data

MANILA, Philippines — The number of child laborers in the country has decreased to around 800,000 in 2022, down from 900,000 in the previous year, based on estimates by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Child laborers are working children engaged in hazardous work. Based on the labor and employment department's definition of the terms, children aged 15 to 17 years old who work more than 40 hours and children below 15 years of age who work more than 20 hours are considered child laborers.

While there was a decrease in the number of child laborers in the country in 2022, this was still higher than the reported number in 2020, which was around 597,000, according to the government statistics body.

At least 56% or more than half of all working children in the country were found to be engaged in hazardous work in 2022 — lower than the proportion reported in 2021 and 2020, which is 68%.

Boys constitute the majority of working children involved in child labor, according to PSA data. At least 66% of the total number of child laborers are boys while 34% are girls.

Agriculture continues to be the sector where most child laborers can be found at 69%. The services sector followed with a share of 26% while the industry sector accounted for 5% percent of child laborers.

Rise in number of working children 

In total, the proportion of working children in the country rose to 4.7% in 2022 compared to the previous year's 4.3%. 

According to PSA's criteria, children are considered working if they spend at least one hour per week engaged in a family business or any job, irrespective of pay. 

In 2022, the services sector employed the highest percentage of working children at 49.5%, followed by the agriculture sector with 43.2%, and the industry sector with the lowest share at 7.3%.

According to the International Labor Organization, there is a notable difference between child labor and child work. 

Children engaged in labor are involved in work that is "too heavy for the child's age and capabilities," takes time away from their schooling, and is usually not supervised by responsible adults.

Child work, meanwhile, is work that is "appropriate to child's age and mental capabilities," does not pose a hazard on the child's wellbeing or capacity to attend school and is conducted in an environment with responsible and caring adults.