Child Labor is a social problem affecting many children in the Philippines. It is a form of exploitation that deprives children of their childhood by forcing them through any form of work, consequently interfering their ability to attend school.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 (DSWD-10) condemns child labor as it affects the well-being of children, including their mental, physical, social, and moral growth.

In partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment-10, ChildFund Philippines, the Local Government of Maramag, Bukidnon, including the local officials of Barangays Camp 1 and Base Camp, and Kaanib Foundation, Inc., DSWD-10 gathered 54 children victimized by child labor through implementation of the Strategic Helpdesks for Information, Education, Livelihood and other Developmental Interventions (SHIELD) – a project that aims to strengthen the capacity of local government units (LGUs) in the prevention and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.

The children were gathered by the local and national government institutions in celebration to the World Day Against Child Labor held last July 3, 2019 in Maramag, Bukidnon – a pilot area for the implementation of SHIELD in Region 10.

In the celebration, the children were given educational grants as a way to encourage families to send their children to school, instead of them being victimized by child labor.

More and more mothers who are beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Northern Mindanao have now started harvesting vegetables from their garden this season to prepare a menu for their children in schools.

In Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental, 4Ps mothers are now busy preparing for a feeding practice implemented in all day care centers and elementary schools of the 28 barangays weekly, which will run in the whole month of July. Every feeding day, all 4Ps beneficiaries are required by the DSWD to harvest vegetables from their backyard garden and prepare them according to the agreed menu of the week. To sustain the production of their garden, they are to plant anew after harvesting.

The feeding practice of the town aims to provide nutritious food to school children which is implemented in close coordination between the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10, Department of Education, and the Local Government Unit of Bonifacio.

Dave Torrefranca, Municipal Action Team leader of DSWD assigned in Bonifacio, disclosed that the practice has been going in Bonifacio town for three years now. He said all elementary schools have communal garden for the 4Ps beneficiaries after DepEd officials in Bonifacio town suggested to the Municipal Inter-Agency Committee of 4Ps to strengthen the planting of vegetables among (number of 4Ps beneficiaries) beneficiaries of the Program.

Meanwhile, all 4Ps parents in Delabayan, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte collectively prepare and cook their produce during their respective Family Development Sessions. The grantees share them among themselves after the session.

A day before a session, 4Ps mothers are seen harvesting their vegetables and agree with their cluster members on what meal to prepare. Each cluster is composed of 28 to 30 household members.

Pantawid Pamilya is a government’s poverty-reduction strategy that provides cash grants to extremely poor households aimed at helping them raise educated and healthy children aged 18 years and below.

It utilizes the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme where beneficiaries receive cash grant provided that they send their children to school, get preventive health check-up, and the parents attend the monthly Family Development Session (FDS).

Currently, Northern Mindanao has 259,675 active household beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya. 

Lanao del Norte — More than 3,600 families affected by Tropical Storm Falcon that hit the province on July 16, 2019 received family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 (DSWD-10) as a response to the request of four municipalities to augment resources in the disaster operation.

DSWD report showed that as of July 20, 2019, the municipalities of Lala, Salvador, Sapad, and Kapatagan, Lanao de Norte had 71 totally damaged houses, and six partially damaged houses that as result of the storm.

In the report, Kapatagan showed the most number of affected families, with 1,691 families or 6,176 individuals; Sapad with 803 families or 3,484 individuals; Lala with 733 families or 3,139 individuals; and Salvador with 410 families or 2,050 individuals.

Costing DSWD with more than P2.8 Million to augment resources to the local government units, 5,298 family food packs were distributed. Each family food pack has six kilos of rice, 4 cans of sardines, 4 cans of tuna, and six sachets of coffee.

Each family is given three (3) family food packs from DSWD.

As of this writing, DSWD-10 continues to distribute family food packs to families affected by Tropical Storm Falcon.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista (in blue) and IP leaders commit to Regional Peace and Order Council X’s (RPOC-X) resolution condemning CPP-NPA Atrocities in the Region. The commitment was made during the Launching of Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev) at Barangay Iba, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon on January 28,2019.

“Labanan po natin ang kahirapan sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa. Hikayatin po natin ang ating mga kapatid na nasa kabilang bakod na magbalik loob sa pamahalaan. Sa gayon makapiling nila ang kanilang pamilya at mabuhay ng matiwasay.
“Sa parte po ng gobyerno, gagawin po namin lahat ng paraan upang matugonan ang kanilang pangangailangan.”

-Secretary Bautista to the residents of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon during the launching of Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev) on June 28,2019.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Baustista (in blue), Director Mari-Flor Dollaga-Libang (in red) and other heads of different national government agencies pose for peace and change during the launching of Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev) at Barangay Iba, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon on June 28, 2019.

Leaders of Barangay Iba headed by Barangay Captain Reynard Encarguez thanks DSWD for the different programs and services extended to their community during the Launching of Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev) at Cabanglasan, Bukidnon on June 28, 2019.

On the same event, DSWD turns over 50 core shelters to the residents of Cabanglasan who were badly hit by Typhoon Chedeng. The Department also distributed 200 family food packs to the residents.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista and Secretary Andanar cut the ribbon during the turn over ceremony of DSWD 50 core shelter units to residents in Barangay Iba, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon last June 28, 2019. Barangay Iba was one of the most affected aread in Bukidnon during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Chedeng in 2011.