Child Labor
I. Introduction
Child labor in the Philippines has been a problem since the early twentieth century. However in 1946 the Philippines claimed its independence from American Rule and became a Republic. This allowed the Philippines to make their own child labor laws. One significant law was the power of the Secretary of Labour to grant a special work permit for the employment of a child whose employment is otherwise prohibited. This allowed any child to work. In the years 1953 and 1960, the Philippines ratified three international conventions adopted by the International Labour Organization, relating to child labour. These conventions made laws that prohibits the employment of children in industry during night time, fixes the minimum age of employment for industry at 15 years but allowed younger children to be employed in undertakings in which only members of the employer's family are employed, provided that such work are not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the children employed, and required the medical examination of children as a pre-requisite to employment and their subsequent re-examinations (Aldaba, 2004).
Even with these laws in affect child labor continues to be a problem in the Philippines. Poverty is the main reason due to which children under the age of 18 years are compelled to work in dangerous and life threatening conditions. The work that the children have to do range from agricultural, to production, to service trades. These dangerous conditions consist of environmental, chemical, ad physical hazards. Children in agriculture are exposed to heavy loads, chemicals used for fertilizers and pesticides. Factory child workers risk other injuries and death from accidents caused by modern machineries and from the lack of protective mechanisms (The Philippine Campaign). These all seriously affect the lives of these children. (Aldaba, 2004)
While many people believe the issues of child labor in the Philippines are due to political or economical
Child labor in the Philippines has been a problem since the early twentieth century. However in 1946 the Philippines claimed its independence from American Rule and became a Republic. This allowed the Philippines to make their own child labor laws. One significant law was the power of the Secretary of Labour to grant a special work permit for the employment of a child whose employment is otherwise prohibited. This allowed any child to work. In the years 1953 and 1960, the Philippines ratified three international conventions adopted by the International Labour Organization, relating to child labour. These conventions made laws that prohibits the employment of children in industry during night time, fixes the minimum age of employment for industry at 15 years but allowed younger children to be employed in undertakings in which only members of the employer's family are employed, provided that such work are not dangerous to the life, health or morals of the children employed, and required the medical examination of children as a pre-requisite to employment and their subsequent re-examinations (Aldaba, 2004).
Even with these laws in affect child labor continues to be a problem in the Philippines. Poverty is the main reason due to which children under the age of 18 years are compelled to work in dangerous and life threatening conditions. The work that the children have to do range from agricultural, to production, to service trades. These dangerous conditions consist of environmental, chemical, ad physical hazards. Children in agriculture are exposed to heavy loads, chemicals used for fertilizers and pesticides. Factory child workers risk other injuries and death from accidents caused by modern machineries and from the lack of protective mechanisms (The Philippine Campaign). These all seriously affect the lives of these children. (Aldaba, 2004)
While many people believe the issues of child labor in the Philippines are due to political or economical