by Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY, MAY 25(PIA)--- The Provincial Office of the
Department of Labor and Employment in Zamboanga del Norte is scheduled to
conduct a child labor-free barangay campaign on May 29, 2012 in Barangay Baybay
in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte.
Barangay
Baybay is one of the 76 barangays identified by the DOLE as a barangay with
high incidence of child labor which will be transformed into child labor-free
zone.
According
to the Labor Department, most of the child labor existing in the identified
barangays include that most of the forms of child labor existing in the said
areas are mining; farm work; deep sea fishing; pyrotechnics production;
stevadore; vending; rubber budding; banana bagging; cargo loading; sugar cane
farm workers; scavenging; waitress/waiter; and pedicab driving.
Ms.
Lourdes Amores, DOLE-Zamboanga del Norte Supervising Labor Officer III said,
the campaign has been scheduled to be undertaken after a coordination meeting
with the officials of the Local Government Unit of Liloy, community leaders and
Barangay Chairmen to ensure their cooperation in minimizing child labor and
illegal recruitment of minors in their area.
The
DOLE anti-child labor program involves stricter enforcement of child labor laws,
knowledge sharing, and alternative employment for the child workers’ families.
Earlier
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, during her speech during the nationwide launching
of the child labor-free barangay campaign at the Occupational Health and Safety
Center.
Baldoz
said, the department has mapped out strategies to intensify the Child Labor
Prevention and Elimination Program. These strategies include preventing
children from engaging in child labor through livelihood assistance to parents
of child laborers and educational assistance; removing children from child
labor through Sagip Batang Manggagawa (SBM); advocacy activities; capacity
building; and strengthening partnerships.(ATR/PIA9-Zambo
Norte)