Iloilo City imposes strict monitoring of child laborers
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas assured that the city government has imposed strict monitoring of children who are into child labor.
In his "state of the children" address delivered before some 5,000 pre-schoolers at the Jaro gymnasium recently, Treñas said child labor is a problem that the government is trying to address diligently.
The city mayor noted child labor in the city is concentrated in the prostitution and fireworks industry.
He explained that the pyrotechnics industry is the most hazardous sector for child laborers here, and within the Arevalo district in particular. A total of 708 children has een documented to be engaged in the industry in the district's eight barangays.
However, the child laborers have the consent of their parents, thus, the city, through the Social Welfare Office, could only work on intervention measures that would discourage parents from pushing their children to work in this sector.
On the other hand, 49 minors have been documented to have been involved in the sex trade since 2003, thus, the city government continuously conducts development programs and advocacy for the youth sector to address the problem.
"We are soliciting the assistance of non-government organizations and other government agencies to work with us and to share resources and projects for these children so that these minors may be educated to become more responsible, productive and upright citizens," Treñas said.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) revealed that this city has a population of 366,391. More than one-third or about 137,106 of the entire population are children with ages ranging from zero to 17 years old.
(PNA)