Fostering Catholic Social Teaching To Fix Child Labor

            The problem of child labor within the Philippines is enormous. Although it is the only Christian nation in Asia, it is also one of the nations with the highest amount of child labor within Southeast Asia. More than eighty-six perfect of Filipinos claim to be of the Roman Catholic faith (Miller). At the same time, it is estimated that about 2.4 million children are employed as child laborers within the Philippines (Corpuz). The poor working conditions that the native children are exposed to include unsanitary conditions, dangerous jobs, long hours, and so much more (Philippine Labour Laws and Legislation). How can it be that the problem of child labor is so pervasive in a dominantly Catholic country? Child labor is clearly a huge and evident problem, and it is the duty of the Church to help fix it. To protect the human dignity of the country’s children, as well as their rights as workers, the Church within the Philippines needs to push to uphold Catholic Social Teaching throughout its borders.

            The Church teaches that Catholics “are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice” (Catholic Social Teaching). The system of child labor within the Philippines forms an extremely unjust relationship between worker and employer. This problem specifically contradicts the teachings of the Church on the issues of the life and dignity of the human person and the dignity of work and the rights of workers. The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society (Catholic Social Teaching). Therefore, by disrespecting the life of the child and exploiting their poverty for the use of industrial production not only takes away the dignity of that child, but also leads to the moral degrading of society as a whole. Also, the purpose of work is to be able to make a good living while upholding the dignity of oneself, as well as with proper wages, hours, and other working conditions (Catholic Social Teaching). Clearly, child labor does not accomplish this, but rather, this system stunts a child’s ability to make a good living in the future, because he/she cannot be educated. Only 60% of children under the age of 12 attend school, and many eventually drop out and join the child labor force to help support their families (United States Department of Labor). Children especially should be given the chance to be educated and to expand their horizons to brighter futures, but the labor system within the Philippines takes this away from them.

            It is the duty of all Catholics to spread Catholic Social Teaching and to halt injustices that try to take away the basic rights of humans. Therefore, to help solve the problem of child labor, religion can play a large role. The number of Catholics within the Philippines is available, but the masses simply need leaders to help push them in the right direction. There is a lack of sufficient personnel within the Philippines to push for the spread of Catholic Social Teaching, or to incite any real change to occur. Therefore, focusing on increasing the number of priests and bishops on the island would be a good first step. The ratio of clergymen to the Catholic people is extremely low, so urging more vocations would definitely help push the movement against child labor forward (Miller). From there, these priests could build up in numbers, and therefore build up in strength to spread the good news of Catholic Social Teaching to the masses throughout the Philippines. With the large number of native Catholics, if the message of fighting against child labor is successful, the majority of citizens would definitely stand up and support this cause,

Sources:

Miller, Jack. "Religion in the Philippines." http://www.seasite.niu.edu. AskAsia, 1996. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

"Philippine Child Labour Laws and Legislation." Working Together Against Child Labor: The Philippine Campaign. Philippine ILO, 1998. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

"The Philippines." United States Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

Corpuz, Niña. "Child workers in Philippines number 2.4 M." ABS-CBNnews.com. ABS-CBN Interactiv, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

“Catholic Social Teaching.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2012. Web. 13 May 2012.

Catholic Social Teaching and the Child Labor Crisis

In the Catholic Church, work is “any sustained effort extended for a purpose – effort that makes a difference in the world” (Windley-Daoust and Kilmartin 173). According to Catholic Social Teaching, work has the potential to be very good, and its value is measured by whether it promotes the human dignity of the worker. Good work promotes human dignity because it enables people to live and serves as a reflection of God’s work of creation. However, work fails to promote human dignity when workers are exploited and denied their basic rights (Windley-Daoust and Kilmartin). This is especially true of child labor. A recent article by the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) found that there are an estimated 5 to 5.7 million children working in the Philippines, most of whom labor in commercial and industrial sectors (The Philippines). Many of these children fall victim to poor working conditions and unsuitable pay, making it impossible for them to help support their families. The children are often exploited and taken advantage of because of their age, thus demeaning the value of work and all that it stands for. Through promoting the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the dignity of work and the rights of workers, the Filipino Church can work toward fostering human dignity and thus resolving the issue of child labor.

The things necessary for dignified work are known as the rights of workers, and include rights such as a decent and fair pay, a safe workplace, and anything else necessary for the basic health of workers (Windley-Daoust and Kilmartin). Through child labor, young children are denied these basic rights. Many children in the Philippines are forced to work under horrible conditions. For example, children in agriculture are exposed to heavy loads, chemicals, and natural elements such as rain and strong winds. Those who work in the fishing industry suffer from ruptured hearing and face drowning or shark attacks. Child laborers who work in factories risk being injured by heavy machinery, and are not given protective mechanisms such as gloves and masks to shield them from harm (ILO-IPEC). These working conditions do not promote the dignity of the workers, which is one of Catholic Social Teaching’s principle guidelines. About 86 percent of the Filipino community is Roman Catholic, making it the predominant religion of the country and the only Christian nation in Asia (Miller). In utilizing the principles of Catholic Social Teaching the Filipino Church can work toward improving the conditions under which children work, thus granting them their rightful human dignity and moving closer toward the elimination of child labor as a whole.    

In addition to the terrible working environments that children in the Philippines must endure, they also suffer significant exploitation by their employers. Due to their passive demeanor and young age, child laborers are given long hours of work, insufficient rest periods, and extremely low wages (ILO-IPEC). On average, they work from four to six hours a day and earn less than 1,000 Philippine pesos a month, which is equivalent to a mere 25 U.S. dollars. A significant number, about 55.7%, do not even get paid because employers do not recognize their contributions to the total production efforts of their families (ILO-IPEC). Forcing children to work against their will, especially those who engage in atrocious acts such as human trafficking, demeans their sense of character and takes away from their human dignity as a whole. Child labor also has notable psychosocial effects because it distorts the child’s values and leads to loss of dignity and self-confidence (ILO-IPEC).

No living being should have to endure this type of suffering, and it is the duty of the Catholic Church to make sure that the human dignity of all remains intact. In order to do this, the Filipino Church must spread the principles of Catholic Social Teaching to the Filipino community. Once informed, the community as a whole can take steps to ensure that everyone is being given the rights they deserve. Educating the general public on the evils of child labor will help improve their understanding of the problem, thus making it easier to find a solution (ILO-IPEC). Although the issue of child labor certainly will not go away overnight, the Church can attempt to prevent the problem by incorporating Catholic law and morals into society and promoting its beliefs throughout the entire Filipino nation.     

Works Cited:

"International Labour Organization-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC)." ILO. Philippine ILO, 1998. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://ipecphils.tripod.com/phillaws/intro.htm>.

Miller, Jack. "Religion in the Philippines." Asia Society. 2012. Web. 12 May 2012. <http://asiasociety.org/countries/religions-philosophies/religion-philippines>. 

"The Philippines." ILAB - United States Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/media/reports/iclp/sweat/philippines.htm>.

Windley-Daoust, Jerry, and Lorraine Kilmartin. Living Justice and Peace: Catholic Social Teaching in Practice. Winona, MN: Saint Mary's, 2008. Print.

Using Catholic Social Teaching to Resolve Child Labor

The Philippines proudly recognizes the fact that they are the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to other Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations (Miller). As a Catholic country, Catholic Social Teaching should be upheld to the fullest extent. The most crucial parts are the beliefs that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). So how can the Philippines truly call themselves a Catholic nation while forcing their children into hazardous jobs that show no concern for the value of human life? Thus in order to bring about change that can help eliminate child labor in the Philippines, it must be recognized that Catholic Social Teaching calls for the dignity of work to be protected, the basic rights of workers must be respected, and human life should be put first above all things.

In Filipino society, children’s lives are under direct attack from the severe issue of child labor. The value of human life is being threatened by dangerous working conditions that are especially hazardous to the well-being of a child.  Some of the works that children in the Philippines are forced into include selling newspapers, shining shoes, scavenging for recyclable material, and are involved in drug pushing and prostitution.  These jobs are very demeaning to a child who should be spending his or her time trying to get an education, and so go completely against Catholic Social Teaching’s belief that the dignity of work should be protected.  However the most common industry where child labor is practiced in Philippines is Deep-sea fishing, and there are many fishermen who use young boys to help them catch the fish, who quite unfortunately die while fishing due to perilous practices (Deshpande).  These jobs harm the children physically, mentally, and emotionally. They also can seriously hamper the well being of a child who is supposed to get a sound education and nutrition to develop into a healthy adult.  So not only are the children not receiving any working rights, but worst of all their lives are not being valued.  Thus this problem cannot be resolved until people in the Philippines acknowledge that the economy must serve people, not the other way around (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). Work is more than a way to make a living, as it is a form of ongoing participation in God’s creation. So if the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected as well.  These rights should be offered to all children, and they include the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, and to economic initiative. However there should not be any child labor within the Philippines at all, but because there is, the child laborers should at least receive dignified work, workers rights, and their lives should be protected as well as highly valued.

So in order to help the Philippines resolve the issue of child labor, other Christian nations should help protect the right to life in the Philippines by finding increasingly effective ways to help the country resolve child labor. This can best be done by sending missionaries to the Philippines to teach the people about Catholic Social Teaching, and how it’s absolutely crucial for Catholic ethics to take place in the workforce.  These missionaries need to explain to Filipinos that as Christians we believe that every person is precious, and that people are more important than jobs.  So since child labor in the Philippines puts human lives at risk, missionaries can help teach the people how to incorporate Catholic beliefs in society and rid of the issue altogether. 

Sources:

Miller, Jack. “Religion in the Philippines”. Focus on Asia Studies. 1982. 12 May 2012.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. 12 May 2012.

SOS Children’s Villages. General Information on the Philippines.  29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.sos-usa.org/About-SOS/Where-we-help/Asia/Philippines/Pages/default.aspx?gclid=CKSloJz42K8CFUSK4AodhReVDw>

Deshpande, Rachana. Child Labor in the Philippines. 15 Oct. 2008. 29 Apr. 2012.

RELIGION QUESTION

In a predominately Catholic country, how can the Church in the Philippians’ foster Catholic Social Teaching to bring about change to foster human dignity and the rights of workers to eliminate child labor?

Political Weakness in the Philippines Leads to Major Problems

           

            The number of children forced to work within the Philippines is astounding, and its numbers rank among the top within Southeast Asia. It is estimated that there are about 2.4 million child laborers, who work under atrocious conditions (Corpuz). They suffer from numerous injuries, are exposed to harsh weather conditions, carry heavy loads, work long hours, and are forced to work under many other strenuous conditions not suitable for children (Philippine Child Labour Laws and Legislation). To fix a problem one must always go to the root of it, and work up from there. This takes us back to the beginnings of the Philippines as its own nation, back in 1946 when it gained its independence (Philippine History). At this time, child labor was already a problem, and it has grown bigger over the years. At the root of the problem of child labor is the weak government, which then leads to economic and social problems.

            The economy of the Philippines does not allow for much opportunity for the poor, and they must struggle for any job they can get simply to stay alive. The huge number of those living in poverty accounts for the problem of child labor because they must utilize any source of labor that they have to provide for the family. The World Bank estimated that 57% of the entire Philippine population in 1985 lived below the poverty line (David). This poverty forces children into jobs that are dangerous to their health, and also stunts opportunities for education. Students who must work just to stay alive do not have time to attend school, which explains why the rate of children that dropout of elementary school has increased from an average 5.99 % from 2007 to 2008 to 6.28% in 2009 to 2010 (The Filipino Post).

            Although these economic and social problems have many different causes, the ineffective ruling powers within the country have allowed for these problems to arise and to continue growing. The land of the Philippines is rich in natural resources such as fertile land, extensive coastlines, and rich mineral deposits. Therefore, there is obviously fuel for a flourishing economy to exist. However, the weak government allowed for the resources and people of the Philippines to be exploited by the Spanish back in the 16^th century (Philippine History). Once receiving their independence, the government never successfully developed the country’s economy and did not sufficiently support industry. This lack of government action does nothing to help the weak economy, and exacerbates the situation of the poverty of its citizens. In the same way, the government does not enforce education laws. The Philippines has free public education through grade 6, but only about 60% of the child population attends, and most eventually drop out to work for their families (United States Department of Labor). The government needs to enforce education laws to give their children the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty, or else the constant cycle of poverty as well as child labor will only continue.

            Besides these faults of the government that are tied these economic and social problems, the government also has problems with its high amount of debt, low investment rates, weak research and development spending, high corruption, and political uncertainty (Dela Cruz). An example of these problems is within the country’s taxation system. The poorest 30% of families paid 27% of their income to taxes, while the richest 30% paid no more than 18% (David). Looking at these numbers, it seems clear why the poor stay so poor. These, among other reasons, show the weakness of political rule within the Philippines. According to the International Monetary Fund, the economy output of the Philippines falls far behind its Southeast Asian neighbors of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam (Dela Cruz). These are developing third-world countries as well, and the fact that the Philippines are falling behind their neighbors indicates that there is a weakness within the Filipino government. If the government truly focused on liberating those within poverty and put their fullest effort toward improving the economy, real change could happen. It is the government’s responsibility, and only when the state improves can the lives of all the citizens be made better.

Sources:

Corpuz, Niña. "Child workers in Philippines number 2.4 M." ABS-CBNnews.com. ABS-CBN Interactiv, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

David, Randolf S. "Poverty in the Philippines: Its Social Roots." Kasarinlan 4 (1989): 9-24. PDF file.

Dela Cruz, Roderick T. "The Roots of Philippine Poverty." Preda Foundation. Preda Foundation, Inc., 15 Dec. 2011. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

"Philippine Child Labour Laws and Legislation." Working Together Against Child Labor: The Philippine Campaign. Philippine ILO, 1998. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

Philippine History. PHILIPPINE-HISTORY.ORG , 23 Jan. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

"The Philippines." United States Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

"Poverty drive Filipino kids to dangerous jobs." The Filipino Post 8 June 2011: 13. PDF file.

Filipino Children Forced to Work

Child labor is recognized as a serious dilemma in Asia and the Pacific area, but it is especially problematic in the Philippines. In the third quarter of 1991, the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment estimated that there were 777,000 Filipino workers between the ages of ten and fourteen, and 1.4 million between fifteen and seventeen years, not including all the workers less than 10 years of age (United States Department of Labor).  Unfortunately, this serious child labor problem is a result of the underdeveloped economy in the Philippines, as over thirty-three percent of the population lives under the nationally established poverty line (SOS Children’s Villages). These economic problems contribute to child labor in the Philippines as children are unable to afford education expenses, force parents to work abroad, and have other countries like the US want to help. 

The economic instability of the Philippines has forced this high amount of children to join the dangerous work force.  Although the Philippines have free public education through grade six, only about sixty percent of school-aged children actually attend. Because parents have difficulty accommodating the cost of sending their children to school, including food and transportation allowances, many of these children from poor families are forced to drop-out (United States Department of Labor). Once out of school, the children feel obligated to contribute to their families’ earnings, and so get a job in domestic work, mining, fishing industries, or agricultural labor.  Also, the lack of economic opportunities in the Philippines forces parents to work overseas, and so about ten million Filipinos are employed abroad. And although the money they send home makes an important contribution to the national economy, it is still not enough to fully support their families financially, and the children have to go to work (SOS Children’s Villages).  The amount of children working in this country is so severe that the US government has awarded a fifteen million grant to help an international organization combat child labor in the Philippines.  World Vision called attention to a US Department of Labor report which stated recently that around four million Filipino children worked daily in "hazardous, exploitative labor," thus making the Philippines one of over 120 countries where the worst forms of child labor still exist, and needs extensive help to solve the issue (Calleja).

Thus the underdevelopment of the Filipino economy is the major reason why child labor is such a severe issue in the country.  When it comes down to it, parents are unfortunately forced by poverty to send their children to work long hours under scorching heat, performing physically arduous tasks not suitable for children.  Thus if the economy wasn’t as bad as it is, parents would be able to afford to keep their children in school, rather than rely on the children to earn money for their financial situation.  And so the problem of child labor will not be solved in the Philippines until the state of the economy is first improved.

Works Cited:

United States Department of Labor. The Philippines. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/media/reports/iclp/sweat/philippines.htm#1>

SOS Children’s Villages. General Information on the Philippines.  Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.sos-usa.org/About-SOS/Where-we-help/Asia/Philippines/Pages/default.aspx?gclid=CKSloJz42K8CFUSK4AodhReVDw>

Calleja. “US Gives US$15m Grant to Combat Child Labor”. Asia News Network. 25 Feb. 2010. 29 Apr. 2012.

The Issue of Child Labor in the Philippines

The term “child labor” refers to the illegal employment of children under the age of 18 in dangerous and potentially life threatening activities (Deshpande). Child labor is a serious problem affecting the world, and is especially prevalent in Asia and the Pacific region. Out of the 650 million children from the ages of 5 to 14 that currently inhabit Asia and the Pacific, 18.8 percent are working. This represents the highest number of working children in the world (Asia and the Pacific). In the Philippines, this has come to be a serious issue. According to a report issued by the International Labor Organization (ILO), there are a total of 2.4 million child laborers aged 9-17 employed in the Philippines today. That statistic does not take into account the number of children who work under hazardous conditions on the streets, which makes the number even higher (People’s Journal). That being said, the exact number of child laborers cannot be determined because the government tries to strategically hide them and make it as if they do not exist. Although many children would rather spend their time getting an education, they have no choice but to endure the brutal work environments in which they are placed. Parents are unable to make enough money to support themselves alone, so they resort to forcing their own children into labor to bring in additional funds. The rise in child labor has resulted mainly from economic issues stemming from poverty and the inadequate funds of families to support themselves financially.

“Between the ages of 5 to 7 years, one in every six children has to work to earn a living and help support his or her family” (Deshpande). This proves that around 16 percent of the entire child population in the Philippines is employed. Deep-sea fishing is a common industry that Filipino children work in, and is a very dangerous practice that causes many children to drown or lose their hearing (Deshpande). Other fields that practice child labor include work in the mining and farming industries. Although efforts have been made to eliminate child labor in the past, the number of Filipino child laborers is still on the rise. Since 1989, the frequency of child labor in the Philippines has been steadily increasing at an average rate of 3.8 percent annually over a period of ten years (ILO-IPEC). This necessity for child labor is rooted in poverty and lack of economic opportunity. Filipino households respond to economic setbacks such as unemployment or lack of social security by turning to their children to amass economic gain. The need to satisfy basic requirements forces children to give up essential rights such as the right to education and recreational activity, taking away from their childhood and right to learn (ILO-IPEC).

While the rise in child labor results mainly from economic instability, it results in part from social issues as well. Tradition holds that a child must work through solidarity with the family in order to make up for the economic burden that he or she places on the family as a whole. Filipino families also value helpfulness and sharing of responsibilities, and some view child labor as a phase of socialization to train for the future (ILO-IPEC). While this is true, many families would not force their child into labor if they were not enduring a financial struggle of some sort. Among the causes of poverty include the growing population and the unequal distribution of wealth in the country. Until these issues can be solved and the economic situation can become more stable, child labor will continue to be a significant problem in the Philippines.

Born to a poor family, one child in particular is quoted as saying, “I want to go to school but my parents could not afford my education” (Pasaylo). At age 13, he is one of over 100 child workers forced to work in the Balabag mines for just 40 Philippine pesos, or one U.S. dollar, per day. He says, “I know the risks, but I have no choice but to work. I want to go to school” (Pasaylo). Unfortunately, this cannot happen because he has to earn a living for his family. Millions of Filipino children like this one risk their lives each and every day to perform dangerous and life threatening jobs against their will, and poverty is the driving force behind it.

Works Cited:

"Asia and the Pacific." International Labour Organization: Promoting Jobs, Protecting People. International Labour Organization (ILO), 1996. Web. 07 May 2012. <http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Regionsandcountries/Asia/lang--en/index.htm>.\

Deshpande, Rachana. "Child Labor in Philippines." Article Alley - All the Best News and Articles. 15 Oct. 2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://rachanadeshpande2.articlealley.com/child-labor-in-philippines-666377.html>.

"International Labour Organization-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC)." ILO. Philippine ILO, 1998. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://ipecphils.tripod.com/phillaws/intro.htm>.

Pasaylo, Jun. "Children Labor in Philippine Mines: Poor Minors Have to Take up Working in the Mines." Catholic News Asia. 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.ucanews.com/2012/03/26/children-labor-in-philippine-mines>.


People's Journal. "DOLE, DSWD Urged to Address Child Labor." Journal Online. 3 Apr. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/27385-dole-dswd-urged-to-address-child-labor>.