By Terre des Hommes Netherlands in the Philippines
Child labour is any work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children and young people.
It robs children of their right to education, forcing them to drop out of school prematurely or juggle their studies with excessively long, grueling hours of work.
In the Philippines, it was estimated that there were 1.09 million working children aged 5 to 17 as of 2023, with 50% of them working in the services sector, 43.7% in the agriculture sector, and 6.3% in the industry sector.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a rise in child labour cases in 2023, though this may be underestimated because of limited data and child profiling at the community, local and national levels.
Poverty remains one of the primary drivers of child labour.
Insufficient resources and limited employment opportunities compel low-income families to rely on their children’s labour for survival.
Given the high cost of quality education in the country, children from impoverished households are discouraged from attending school and are instead forced into labour, thereby perpetuating a vicious cycle of low educational attainment and child labour across generations.
Social and cultural norms also fuel child labour.
Filipino culture often equates a “good child” with one who helps earn for the family.
Working children are valued for being independent, responsible and industrious, thus normalizing the idea of children engaging in labour.
To address this issue, the Philippine government is implementing the Philippine Program Against Child Labor (PPACL), complemented by other government programs such as the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Strategic Helpdesks for Information, Education, Livelihood and other Developmental Interventions (SHIELD) Project.
Local governments are also stepping up.
The Iloilo City Government established the Iloilo City Council Against Child Labour (ICCACL) in 2024 to lead the development of local plans, programs and activities.
However, challenges persist.
The lack of robust cross-sectoral coordination among programs and relevant agencies, coupled with overlapping functions, diminishes their potential impact.
Moreover, while national laws mandate comprehensive government-led child protection programming, significant formal child protection actors—such as the police and local social welfare and development offices—tend to focus on severe abuse cases.
This highlights critical gaps in early detection and prevention, leaving vulnerable children unseen and unsupported.
Poor families, with no access to social protection, often see child labour as their only option.
“Child labour is usually a consequence of pervasive poverty and the absence of social safety nets.
The EU is currently working with the Philippine government on national budgeting initiatives with a focus on the well-being of children, and of course, we also work with civil society and the communities themselves.
We need to act together to make child labour—in particular the worst kinds—a thing of the past,” said Dr. Marco Gemmer, head of cooperation of the EU Delegation to the Philippines.
“At Terre des Hommes Netherlands, we believe ending child labour starts with strong local partnerships.
Through the ‘Strengthening the Community-Based Protection Systems to Eliminate Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) in Visayas Region’ Project, funded by the European Union and implemented with Bidlisiw Foundation and Children’s Legal Bureau—we empower communities, governments and children themselves to take the lead in protecting young lives.
Together, we challenge harmful norms, strengthen child protection systems, and support families to break the cycle of hazardous child labour,” said Ms. Anna Abelinde, Philippine country director of Terre des Hommes Netherlands.
Child labour in the Philippines remains widespread, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate actions toward its complete eradication.
A comprehensive assessment and enhancement of existing laws and policies are crucial to effectively address the multifaceted nature of child labour.
Working with communities and local civil society organizations is equally vital for the early detection of cases and referral to concerned government agencies.
Empowering these actors not only raises people’s awareness of child labour but also fosters a culture of protection.
Collaborating with relevant government agencies and service providers is necessary to improve program coordination, streamline service delivery and ensure that interventions are inclusive, gender-sensitive, child-friendly and responsive.
