Permit no longer required for minors in docu films

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has amended the regulations in employing minors who want to be part of public entertainment or information-related projects.

In a press statement, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III issued Department Circular No. 2 series of 2018 which notes that working child permit is no longer required for children who will be featured in documentary programs.

However, it is also stated in the new policy that when the child is engaged in "child labor," the producer of the program is required to "refer the child to the nearest DOLE office for the necessary services needed by the child and family."

The agency also said the producer must not disclose the identity of the child laborer, including the child's photographs and videos for the best interest of the minor in line with the Guide for Media Practitioners on the Reporting and Coverage of Cases Involving Children.

Meanwhile, when it comes to group working permits, the DOLE office must issue a group permit for children appearing in a single project covering those without working child permit yet.

As for the validity of working child permit, the amended rule states that "in case the re-scheduling is due to unforeseen events and not the employer’s fault, the latter must notify in writing the DOLE office that issued the permit immediately after the parent or guardian of the child has been informed that the work has been re-scheduled."

Before a work permit is issued, DOLE said the guardian should also submit a proof of parental authority. This includes proof of relationship to the child and a notarized affidavit that explains the reason for exercising parental authority over the child. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News