More support sought in drive vs child labor

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – Monsignor Merlin Logronio of the Diocese of Dumaguete and who heads the St. Ma. Goretti Development Education Foundation, Inc. on Friday appealed to the public to throw their support behind ongoing efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in Negros Oriental and other places.

Logronio issued his call when he celebrated his 64th birthday on Friday, the same day as the feast day of St. Ma. Goretti and the 14th year anniversary of the Goretti Foundation based in Bacong, Negros Oriental.

He said that, since 2005, Goretti Foundation implemented several projects towards the elimination of the worst forms of child labor in towns and cities identified with the highest percentage of child labor, namely, Ayungon, Bindoy, Bais City, Basay, Mabinay, Siaton and Sta. Catalina.

In Negros Oriental, a high percentage of working children were mostly found in sugar cane plantations, domestic works and in deep sea fishing. They came from poor families and were forced into child labor to earn an income for family survival, said Logronio.

“Children’s participation in the labor force and their exposure to hazardous environment clearly puts them at great disadvantage to their physical, emotional, psychological and mental development,” he said.

As of recent count, a total of 7,828 working children in Negros Oriental were withdrawn from child labor and mainstreamed into formal schooling.

Logronio however noted that despite government efforts to reduce poverty, incidence of child labor is increasing each year as projects and interventions to eliminate the problem lasts for one to two years only. “There is a tendency, therefore, for children withdrawn from hard labor to go back to work and stop attending school,” he added.  (FREEMAN)