CO School :

Case Study
1) CO and Housing Rights - ZOTO
2) CO and Women
3) CO and Child Labor

CO and Chil Labor Case Study

CO on Child Labor: Organizing Adults and Children for Power

Boy Marcelino

There are more than three million Filipino children between the ages of five and eighteen who are into child labor, usually, in its extremes forms such as (but not limited to) slavery, drug trafficking, domestic work, scavenging, quarrying and mining, and sexual services. This is equivalent to one in every six Filipino children at those ages. Engaged in exploitative conditions they are vulnerable to safety and health hazards related to the nature of their work.

The Philippine Government, NGOs, international institutions and other concerned private sectors have done tremendous work for the past years to effectively contribute to the resolution of the problem. Much of the strategies are focus on assisting the children and their families on the delivery of educational services, livelihood programs, and health and safety measures. Despite these efforts child labor is still rampant in many areas.

Local Situation.

In 1997, Community Organizers Multiversity, a non-government organization, in partnership with the International Labour Organization - International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) started a Child Labour Action Programme in the quarry sites in Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal. More than 87 boys and girls between the age of 7 to 18 were seen working alone or with their families in an open pit quarry along Wawa Road.

The 'mamimitpit' or 'durugista' as they are known in the area are families of more than 50 residing in the three sitios located in the quarry site. They manually crush rocks into different sizes after extracting from the mountain.

Lack of Alternative Economic Activities. The town of Rodriguez is a major source of aggregates needed in the infrastructure projects in Greater Metro Manila Area. It has the biggest number of quarrying and crushing plants in the whole province of Rizal. Its economy is dependent in the quarrying industry. Opportunities for employment is minimal. The people have to go to nearby towns and cities to work. Others are engaged in informal labor.

For less than a decade, the families of child laborers in Barangay San Rafael depend on manual quarrying for their livelihood. Children work to contribute to their families income (around P 200. 00- P 300. 00 a day for a family of four) and to get some money to support their education. Selling their products is not of regular basis. They have to compete from the bigger quarry operators in terms of quality and prices.

Of Being Responsible Adults. Parents have no problem on their children working in the quarry. They look at it as a way of teaching their children to being responsible as they grow up. They themselves worked too in their younger years. But they recognize the importance of education for their children's future and the hazards of working in the quarry.

Neighborhood Organizations. The more or less a thousand families in the three sitios were members of different neighborhood organizations formed either by local politicians, churches, or “knowledgeable local leaders”. Traditional organizations with programs and activities focused on fund – raising activities through solicitation, raffle and parties. One tried to involve in livelihood projects but failed. Organizations flanked. None of them work on child labor.

The Birth of Community Organizing on Child Labor in Montalban

Disorganize and Organize. The first issue tackled of the organizing team assigned in Montalban was on a new quarry operation in Sitio Tabak. Since child labor was not a felt concern of the people the organizing team worked on the quarry issue until it had the full grasped of the community. Resistance came from the threat of the new quarry to dislocate the people living near the mountain. Leaders of the old organization supported the quarry operation which made the people so angry at them. This lead to the disorganization of the old and the organization of the new ones: TACDA or Tabak Community Development Association, Inc., EEA Neighborhood Association, Inc. and the Sama-samang Magkakapitbahay sa Sitio Ese.

A human barricade was put up in the entrance of the site for more than a month that paralyzed the operation. The series of mobilizations and negotiation to local government officials from the barangay to provincial levels and to the DENR made the provincial governor to issue a closure order to the company.

Naming the Problem.

The organizers were born in the community after that issue. The organizing team had its birth certificate to organize signed by the people. Trust and confidence developed in both parties.

A Participatory Action Research was conducted to know the extent of child labor in the quarry site. Nine community volunteers were trained on PAR who helped the team in laying the ground for action. PAR involved a series of workshops, consultations, orientations and seminars, and interviews among children, their parents and other members of the community. It resulted to a individual profile of the clients and a master list of child laborers. These activities were actually meant to help the people reflect on their poor situation and move them to change it.

A working paper dubbed as People's Agenda on the Progressive Elimination of Child Labor in the Quarry Site” was developed and presented by the people to a multi-sectoral forum in March 1998. It contained the explanation of the problem and the proposed solutions of the people. The forum, attended by representatives of local government officials, NGOs, other peoples organizations in Montalban, national government agencies, and other groups, culminates the work against child labor in Montalban.

Action will Result to More Actions

The collective action of the people on the issue of quarry that lead to the formation of local organizations proved that action is a result of another action. In this case, the people now wanted to continue working together. They now liked to see some changes in the community. Some 'development'.

Socio-Economic Projects. Each local organization has each own livelihood program established. TACDA has constructed a peanut butter production and meat processing house; EEANA has its rug-making and Botika-Binhi (a community drug store); and, SMAC, a Sari-Sari Store. ECHO is starting its T-shirt Printing Project.

The training on project proposal-making and negotiation and the experience of the organizations capacitated them to get these from DOLE-Region 4 and other institutions.

Micro-finance. Part of the IPEC Action Programme (AP) is the establishment of Micro-finance Institution. Punla sa Tao Foundation, an NGO expert on this field, provided the capacity-building component of the project by fielding two of its staff for a year. Savings and credit is now a value in the community. Today, MFI has more than P 100, 000. 00 in its bank account. The people's organization is now taking over the management of the project.

Education. Another component of the AP is educational support for child laborers. From 1998, the project through ERDA Foundation has supported a total of 154 students in elementary and secondary levels. Free uniforms, basic school supplies, miscellaneous fees, literacy program, medical assistance, and training for ECHO leaders are included in the project.

Some reforms in the elementary school were instituted through community actions. PARAWAGAN confronted the school officials on the issue of compulsory payment of miscellaneous school fees every year and unnecessary school projects.

Health. Aside from Botika-Binhi, the peoples organization was able to get some of the Health Insurance Cards under the Lingap Para sa Mahihirap Project of Abanse! Pinay, a Party-List Representative in Congress. Medical Mission was conducted by the Municipal Government.

Psycho-social. Helping the children to better understand their situation, their dreams and aspirations and equip them with the right attitude in facing them they have to undergone a healing process which the psycho-social program is all about. Provided by a spiritual group Brahma Kumaris through its Living Values for Young Adults, children learn to express their views and to come along with other children from other places. Opportunities are provided in the once every month session for children to understand life's good values and heal their broken spirits brought by their unjust condition.

Other Issues. The people is now working on housing and security of land tenure. On road widening project of the DPWH in Wawa: dislocation and employment of people affected in that project. On sustainable use of Mt. Parawagan.

Capacity-building Programs for Leaders of the Organizations. Leaders have undergone training on Community Organizing, Leadership Skills, Gender Sensitivity, Principled Negotiation, Organizational Management, Basic Accounting and Bookkeeping, and other inputs.

Organization of Organizations., It took two years before reaching the stage of federation-building. The local organizations federated themselves into an umbrella organization which they call PARAWAGAN or Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahang Maralita na Wagas at Ganap ang Adhikain para sa Montalban. Named after Mt. Parawagan, the mountain where they live.

Barangay Council for the Protection of Children. Children's program or child labor program in particular is not popular to LGUs investment plan. In 1997, when community organizing started in Barangay San Rafael, there was no clear program for children. Child labor seemed to be none at all. The people's first encounter with the Barangay Official was on the issue of transportation between Barangay Chair Zaldy Cruz and the Wawa Jeepney Drivers Association. The organizations sided with the drivers (being commuters) to reverse the ruling that transferred the jeepney terminal to the barangay market from its original place in the intersection near the old barangay hall. A mobilization over flowed the whole barangay hall of protesting people where the meeting was being held. Although, the issue was resolved in a compromise agreement between the two disagreeing parties meaning the terminal was not transferred PARAWAGAN had established its credibility to the barangay officials in mobilizing people through that action.

The next move was to make the Barangay Official accountable to its responsibility to children's welfare by providing concrete programs for children. The strategy was to organize the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) in San Rafael that will consolidate all programs related to children. A Project Proposal was made and presented to the Council. It was followed by an orientation-workshop on children's rights attended by representatives from the Barangay Council, elementary school teachers, PTA, Barangay Tanods, Health Workers and other POs in San Rafael. This was the start of the first BCPC in Montalban where different sectors meet regularly and imlement programs for children. Today, BCPC has its Children's Desk, a Barangay Justice for Children, a day care center, and a P 50, 000. 00 funds aloted this year form the IRA of San Rafael

Participation in Local Governance. TACDA and EEANA are the representatives of PO-NGO in the Municipal Development Council and Peace and Order Council, respectively.

Not for Adults Only.

Start Where the Children Are. Organizing on Child Labor requires a lot of determination and patience. Organizers consciously deal both with the adults and children. And the most serious task is on breaking the silence of some children who have been out of school for a time. Those who have lost their self-confidence in dealing with people outside their peers.

Party. Basketball. Outing. Chess. Love Letters and Love Notes. Even 'crushes' and like and dislikes” are the common entry point for integration.

Children are the most effective advocates of their own rights. One can relate how difficult a life of a child laborer when they begin telling their stories. Once a child speaks everybody seems wanting to do something for them. This is the magic. But adults sometimes love telling lies specially local politicians so there is an opening for consciousness-raising.

Children are taught like adults. Their participation is encouraged in every level of organizations. They are represented in the community-based organizations and in the Local Council for the Protection of Children. They are exposed to the values and process of community organization. They have their own structures, policies and programs independent of the adults.

The Empowering Child Heart Organization or ECHO is a 200-member children's rights advocates group formed in 1999 of former child laborers. Their activities included conducting annual Sports Festival, child rights advocacy through cultural presentation and street campaign, child labor education, and more. Their leaders have also developed capacity to do networking to institutions and other group of child labor advocates.

The Problem with Goodbye is Hello.

In December 2001, the partnership with the peoples organization and the BCPC will take a new form. It will be in the level of consultancy. The people will then do all the tasks of the organizers. From the beginning, the strategy of organizing is to make the people ready for this.

Reducing the number of child workers in the quarry from 80s to less than fifteen; raising peoples awareness on the issue of child labor and child's protection; organizing organizations of children and adults that can sustain the work; establishing the linkage between the community and the local government through BCPC; and, some infrastructures for community development are some of the highlights of the organizing work in a community where child labor exists.

The organizing is now expanding to other areas (barangays) in Montalban and to other forms of child labor there maybe. PARAWAGAN is recruiting other peoples organization and pushing for the Municipal Government and other Barangay Councils to engage in child labor programme. It is expected that the remaining 10 barangays will organize their own BCPCs and the Municipal Government will coordinate the initiatives through the formation of a network of BCPC.