DOLE-X intensifies drive vs child labor, illegal recruitment, trafficking in person

OROQUIETA CITY - Highlighting workers’ protection and welfare, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office No. X (DOLE-X) intensified its campaign on the eradication of Child Labor and Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Person in the different areas of the province.

A total of 34 barangay captains and employees of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of the local government unit (LGU) of Aloran participated in an orientation aimed to explain the obligations, accountabilities, and benefits based on existing laws. Expectedly, a positive commitment was obtained.

Misamis Occidental Provincial Field Office Chief Leonardo G. Rodrigo emphasized the importance of massive information and advocacy campaigns as mandated by Republic Act (RA) No. 9231 and other related laws declaring the provision of special protection of children from all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, discrimination, and other conditions prejudicial to their development including child labor and its worst forms.

As presented, DOLE adopts the communitybased approach by consolidating data from its social partners for the identification and profiling of the target child laborers to assess their needs and refer to relevant agencies for the provision of appropriate interventions or services.

In exchange of the continued availment of such services, Rodrigo explained that the parents of the child laborers need to commit to send their children to school to promote their welfare and open opportunities for education and/or training.

Moreover, DOLE has also intensified its quest to manage and control Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Person (AIR-TIP) for local or overseas employment to protect the welfare of every Filipino worker from fraudulent recruiters and syndicates in reference to RA 8042.

DOLE MisOcc PFO warned the public regarding engagements with unlicensed recruitment agencies, unauthorized representatives, and unaccredited job orders by coordinating with the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority (POEA) or referring to POEA website to validate job orders and recruitment registrations.

In appreciation, PESO Manager Donald Martin Roa thanked DOLE for the informative lecture and voluntarily committed to help curb child labor and illegal recruitment in the province by providing focused, converged and coordinated strategies to effectively address the department’s programs.