Child labor up in Ilocos

DAGUPAN CITY – Tobacco-producing provinces in Region I have prevalent incidence of child labor, according to a ranking Labor department official in the Ilocos region.

Nathaniel Lacambra, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) assistant regional director for Region I, told The STAR yesterday that parents of these working minors may not be aware about the consequences of having their children work in tobacco manufacturing firm "but they are still liable".

He said that a study of a private non-government organization about child labor in Region I showed that children working in tobacco- processing firms have abnormal growth and development, aside from the fact that they are deprived of their education and period of recreation.

Lacambra added that as early as 10 or 12 years old, these minors whose parents are also into tobacco-production and manufacturing ,are already exposed to work hazards.

"Their parents’ justification is that everybody else in the family works, thus it has become a tradition for their children to help them in their livelihood," Lacambra said.

Meanwhile, a joint effort of the DOLE, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) resulted in the rescue Friday of three girls, all aged 17 from the Visayas region, who were found working as entertainers in a videoke bar along Naguilian, La Union.

The rescue operation was made after a mother reported to the authorities about her missing daughter who was reportedly working in the said entertainment joint. However, the missing daughter has reportedly transferred to another province. The three rescued minors are now under the custody of the DSWD through its Substitute Home for Women while a case is being readied against their employer.

The DOLE regional office in Region I is coordinating with their counterparts in Regions VI to IX where most of those rescued earlier came from to discuss means to curb trafficking like strict monitoring of airports and seaports.

Lacambra said during their operations last year, about 11 minors working in a Kropeck factory , another three working in a bakery and about 15 working in a ricemill all in Tayug town, Pangasinan were rescued. Most of them came from the Visayas, too.

Lacambra noted that the more a province becomes progressive, it has more cases of child labor because the victims from poor areas become easy prey of recruiters who give employment that does not require educational background.