DOLE-7 renews call: Keep minors from firecracker biz

CEBU, Philippines – Amid huge demand for firecrackers, the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas reiterated its call among firecracker shop owners not to hire minors and children in their operations.

The department has also asked police and other law enforcement agencies, as well as city and barangay officials, to strictly enforce the law.

In Cebu, firecracker factories are located in Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City.

Lapu-Lapu City Police acting director Senior Superintendent Armando Radoc said they are closely coordinating with DOLE officials and other law enforcement agencies so that violators could be apprehended.

Mayor Paz Radaza separately told The FREEMAN she is after the safety of those involved in firecracker making in Barangay Babag.

In previous report, DOLE said firecracker shop owners found hiring minors as sales staff or store assistants will face stiff sanctions for child labor.

DOLE officials said the parents of said minors will also be penalized for allowing their children to work in hazardous places.

Hiring minors in firecracker stores is hazardous as firecracker shops are prone to fire, the labor department pointed out.

Chemicals and powder used in making firecrackers also pose health dangers to minors when sniffed, it added.

Despite the warning, The FREEMAN has learned that minors and children still work for some firecracker firms in Barangay Babag.

However, the services of minors and children are mostly sought by those who are engaged in illegal firecracker making in the barangay.

Those involved in illegal manufacturing of firecrackers reportedly adopt a "cat and mouse" operations to avoid detection by authorities.