PSA: 1.37 million children aged 5 to 17 worked in 2021

An estimated 1.37 million children aged five to 17 worked in 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority's latest data on child labor showed.

With 31.64 million children aged five to 17 in 2021, the PSA said 4.3% of the said population worked that year.

The PSA said this was higher than the proportion of working children five to 17 years old in 2019 and 2020 of 3.4% and 2.8%, respectively.

The data also showed that the number of working children was higher among boys compared to girls.

Out of the 1.37 million working children in 2021, 858,000 or 62.8% were boys while 508,000 or 37.2% were girls.

More than 65% of the working children were boys in 2019 and 2020, according to the PSA.

The data also revealed that the agriculture sector consistently reported the highest proportion of working children in the three years, registering 45.7% in 2021, 47.4% in 2020, and 44% in 2019.

It was followed by services which accounted for 45.4% of the total number of working children in 2021.

Worked for 20 hours or less per week

The PSA said at least 55.9% were reported to have worked 20 hours or less per week in 2021.

It said that this was higher than the proportion of children who worked 20 hours or less per week in 2020 with 53% but lower than the proportion reported in 2019 with 69.6%.

It, however, said that children who worked for 21 to 40 hours increased to 27.6% in 2021 from 26.7% in 2020.

Meanwhile, Northern Mindanao logged the highest proportion of working children of 12.5% in 2021, followed by Caraga region with 11.1% and Soccsksargen with 7.4% in 2021.

The PSA also said the total number of working children considered engaged in child labor was estimated at 935,000 in 2021, which was higher in 2020 with 597,000 and 2019 with 640,000. —NB, GMA Integrated News