By Jerome Aning, Inquirer, September 4, 2007, MANILA, Philippines -- Substantial wage increases and regular, secure jobs could bring down the number of child workers, militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU, May First Movement) told the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Monday.

In a statement, KMU urged the DOLE “to sincerely and effectively” raise the wages of workers nationwide and produce secure jobs to bring down the number of child workers.

Ma. Teresa Soriano, Labor Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns and External Affairs, admitted Friday that child workers persisted because their parents were not earning enough and could not themselves land jobs. The labor department has estimated the number of child workers in the country at four million.

“It is very tragic that our children are forced to work early not because of their parents’ irresponsibility or callousness but due to the government’s inability to promote their well-being by providing enough jobs and decent wages for the people,” said KMU secretary general Wilson Baldonaza.

Baldonaza said Soriano’s admission was a first step in the labor department confronting the problems of unemployment and low wages.

“While the problems of unemployment and low wages in the country are systemic because of the moribund economic and political order that we have, the labor department can help increase the wages of workers by supporting the legislated wage increase that we have been campaigning for for years,” he said.

The labor department can also produce more jobs by prioritizing and supporting Filipino entrepreneurs and businessmen and protecting them from unfair competition, he added.
Baldonaza explained that as long as wage hikes were determined and decided by regional wage boards, substantial wage increases for workers would remain a dream.

He also noted that “globalization” policies like liberalization, deregulation and privatization, which the Arroyo government continues to implement, caused incomes and livelihood to collapse and undermined domestic productive sectors.

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