DOLE working to make 22 Cordillera barangays child labor-free before end-2014

The Department of Labor and Employment is working to declare 22 barangays in Cordillera child labor-free before the end of 2014.

DOLE Cordillera regional director Henry John Jalbuena said his office achieved this by implementing the DOLE’s Child-Labor Free Barangay Project.

“(Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz) may recall that she had visited these barangays in Sagada over a year ago to personally bring the campaign to the people...,” Jalbuena said.

The Child Labor-Free Barangay Project, which was launched in 2012, seeks to develop awareness and participation in the anti-child labor campaign down to the community level.

It sets indicators to show that a barangay is free of child labor:

3 levels

Jalbuena said the regional office has categorized the 22 barangays into three levels: new frontier, continuing, and low hanging.

Under Level 1, the so-called “new frontier,” include barangays that have child laborers in hazardous situations and where initiatives against the practice have not yet been undertaken.

Level 2, or continuing, includes barangays where there are child laborers in hazardous situations, but where interventions have been undertaken and are continuing.

Level 3, the so-called “low-hanging fruits,” are barangays where child labor issues have been addressed and various stakeholders have been mobilized for advocacy and service delivery.

In Level 3, local institutions have been established, and partnerships among stakeholders have been forged.

Jalbuena said five barangays qualify under Level 3 and are considered child labor-free: Pide, Tanulong, Fidelisan, Aguid, and Banga-an in Sagada.

Under Level 2 are Irisan, Pacadal, Mines View, Gibraltar, and Sto. Tomas in Baguio City, in addition to the five barangays in Level 3.

Barangays under Level 1 are Antamok in Itogon;  Abatan, Buguias; Balbalan Proper, Balontoy; and Poblacion and Talalang in Balbalan, all in Benguet.

Baldoz said the first step to eliminate child labor is to recognize that child labor exists in communities.

She said that in 2013, the DOLE-CAR awarded P3.66 million in livelihood assistance to more than 300 parents of child laborers.

The CAR regional office also distributed school supplies to 260 former child laborers and other children-at-risk.

"These children previously engaged in small scale mining, vegetable farming, and street vending," the DOLE said. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News