Government Caravan to Bring Services to Child Laborers

Exactly 126 working children aged 4 to 17 stand to benefit from an inter-agency service caravan slated on June 18, 2019 at the RDR Gym in Tagum City.

The HELP ME Convergence Program to Address Child Labor in Davao Region will bring its third service caravan to Barangay Magugpo West in Tagum City where goods and services will be provided by various national agencies and local government units.

The yearly service caravan led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the region will contribute to the nation’s meaningful observance of the World Day Against Child Labor which banners the theme: “Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams.”

The identified child laborers and their parents in Magugpo West will be given goods and services such as school supplies, hygiene kits, food packs, beauty care services, medical and dental services, assorted vegetable seeds and lecture on urban gardening.

Several civil society groups, non-government organizations and private firms including the Davao City-based Kaugmaon for Children’s Rights and Social Development and ChildFund Philippines will also take part in the event.

Lalaine Apugan, DOLE’s focal person on child labor for Davao del Norte, said the child laborers and their families were mostly internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City who eked out a living in a public market in Tagum City.

Apugan said most of them are involved in tedious works like hawking of vegetables, fruits, carenderia food, food delicacies and plastic bags. Others make a living as peelers, helpers, laborers, motorcycle watchers, child care workers, dishwashers, and among others.

The HELP ME Convergence Program has been active in steering a concerted effort to help combat child labor in the region.

Apart from DOLE-XI, at least 11 other government agencies are involved in providing services, namely, Department of Social Wwelfare and Development, Department of Education, Deparment of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Deparmtent of Agriculture, Department of Justice, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Economic Development Authority, Council for the Welfare of Children, National Commission on Indigenous People and Philippine Information Agency.

The Social Welfare and Development Offices of Davao City, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental have also been cooperative and committed to contribute to the program.

The HELP ME Convergence Program to Address Child Labor is pursuant to RA 9231 or “An Act Providing for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and Affording Stronger Protection for the Working Child.”

‘HELP ME’ stands for the following: H – for health services and medical assistance; E – for education and training; L – for livelihood opportunities to parents of child laborers; P – for prevention, protection and prosecution; M – for monitoring; and E – for evaluation. (PIA-XI)