‘Over 10,000 youths victims of child labor in QC’

MANILA — More than 10,000 youths in Quezon City were victims of child labor, Mayor Joy Belmonte said yesterday.

According to a report on Super Radyo dzBB, the city government conducted its 4th State of the City’s Children Report at Quezon Memorial Circle in line with the celebration of the National Children’s Month.

The activity was also in response to the issue of child labor, the report added.

Belmonte said about 5,229 boys and 4,773 girls were victims of child labor.

These youths, the mayor added, were selling sampaguita in the streets, and working in some factories.

“Sa kasalukuyan, mabilis at masusi ang proseso ng needs assessment at referral of appropriate city program at services upang tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga bata at ng kanilang pamilya,” she said.

Belmonte said that they aim to achieve zero percent child laborers in the city as soon as possible.

“Hindi po tayo papayag na ang mga kabataan, na dapat nag-aaral at naglalaro, ay nagtrabaho. Lalong-lalo na sa tinatawag natin worst forms of child labor,” she said.

The city government has provided financial, educational and livelihood assistance, especially to families and youths who have been rescued from a series of city-wide reach out operations conducted by Task Force Sampaguita (TFS).

In an ambush interview with reporters, Belmonte said they are assessing the situation of the families that push youths to become child laborers.

Moreover, the mayor bared that most child laborers that were rescued in the city came from Mindanao.

“Marami pala sa child laborers na nakita natin ay hindi taga-Quezon City, lalo na du’n sa nakaraang one-time big time natin activity. Most of them were from Mindanao, tapos binibigyan pala sila ng pamasahe ng sinumang sindikato para lumuwas sa Metro Manila para kumita,” she said.

“We have already union talks with the Department of Social and Welfare Development. Tinurn over na namin ‘yung mga hindi taga-Quezon City,” she added.

According to the city government, TFS, the city’s inter-agency body that protects children from exploitation, rescued a total of 377 individuals, including 167 children in street situations during its first reach out operation last week.

Since its creation last September, TFS has rescued a total of 852 individuals, including 296 street children, it added.