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 16th 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
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
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.
While Catherine is correct that the political issues do cause a rise in child labor in the Philippines, it is not the root of the problem. She failed to address the social issues, which I believe are the root of why the rate child labor is so high in the Philippines. She says that because of a lack of centralized government the social roots sprouted. However, whether or not the government is weak there are long standing traditions in the Philippines that would continue to be followed. One such tradition is that the child must work through solidarity with the family group, so as to compensate as much as possible for the economic burden that he/she represents and to share in the maintenance of his/her family (The Philippine Campaign). Regardless of the government making sure the country was running effectively, the parents would still force their children to work. Also many parents are not focused on sending their children to school because they cannot see what use schooling would be to them (The Philippine Campaign). Even if the government had an affective schooling system set up, the parents would deem it as unnecessary and force their children to work. Parents would rather have their kids working because they consider child work as a phase of socialization where future roles are learned and working to share in the family is seen as training (The Philippine Campaign). So while a lack of proper government does lead to child labor, it is not the root because the social issues have a long standing tradition in the Filipino community.
ReplyDeleteThe Philippine Campaign. "International Labour Organization-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC)." ILO. 1998. Web. 04 May 2012. .
While Catherine provides evidence as to why the political status of the Philippines has a drastic effect on child labor, I still believe the problem is mainly economical. It is true that the government has limited resources, and its lack of action severely hurts the economy. However, the government would not be so weak if the economy was stronger. As Catherine stated, the Philippines is rich in natural resources, so it is up to the government to use those resources to their advantage. According to the International Labor Organization, "Child labour is embedded in poverty and it is through sustained increases in standards of living that it will be abolished" (ILO-IPEC). It is clear that the issue of poverty must be addressed before any action can be made. So, until the economy is better developed, no drastic measures can be taken to improve the conditions of child workers.
ReplyDelete"International Labour Organization-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC)." ILO. Philippine ILO, 1998. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. .
Catherine is completely accurate in her points concerning the political issues of the Philippines, as the weak status of the government is greatly affecting this problem. However I continue to agree with Ally and her argument that if the economy was more developed, child labor would not be such a severe problem. Because over thirty-three percent of the population lives under the nationally established poverty line (SOS Children’s Villages), many families see no other way to support themselves, and feel forced by their poor status to put their children to work. Also the instable economy causes parents to have difficulty accommodating the cost of sending their children to school, and so many of these children from poor families are forced to drop-out (United States Department of Labor). Thus without education or money, Filipino children have no other option but to go into the workforce. Therefore if child labor is ever going to be resolved in the Philippines, the disorderly economy must first become more stabilized.
ReplyDeleteSources:
SOS Children’s Villages. General Information on the Philippines. 29 Apr. 2012.
United States Department of Labor. The Philippines. 29 Apr. 2012.
It is clear that the child labor problem in the Philippines is rooted in numerous other problems, stemming from political, social, and economic aspects of the nation. Taking into consideration the evidence that my classmates have presented, it seems that all these problems have a tremendous impact on the children living within the Philippines. At a simple glance of the child labor problem, it seems to be simple and only involving the children of the nation. However, in delving into our research, we have found that this problem is complex and rooted in much deeper problems that the country needs to fix. Poverty, improving the economy, social changes, and improvement within the government must all be addressed. However, I stand by my view that all this must start with the government taking firmer control and stepping up their administrative policies. Bringing recognition to the problem of child labor is extremely important, and efforts to improve the lives of these helpless children would not only bring better futures for them, but also help cause massive improvements in all other aspects of life for Filipinos of all ages.
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