Kathleen Anne Silvino
November 04, 2023
“Batang-bata ka pa at marami ka pang kailangang malaman at intindihin sa mundo. 'Yan ang totoo. Nagkakamali ka kung akala mo na ang buhay ay isang mumunting paraiso lamang.”
These specific lyrics are from one of the famous songs of Apo Hiking Society titled "Batang-bata ka pa," which tackles the innocence of childhood and the lack of idea about the realities of life. However, seeing our country’s situation since then, up until the present, not all are still oblivious to what the reality is.
Some already have their eyes wide open to the cruelty of the real world, as they have already endured life experiences that children supposedly should not have to face. Children raised in poverty often perceive the world differently—not a paradise realm.
Trapped as a blessing
Child labor, as defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), is "work that deprives children of their childhood, potential, and dignity, and is harmful to physical and mental development," which may also be the reason they do not finish their education. Based also on their records, poverty is the main reason for children to work.
There were 1.48 million children aged 5 to 17 years old working in 2022, an increase of 112 thousand from 1.37 million in 2021, citing the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on July 25, 2023.
The majority of the child workers, according to the agency, were boys: 868 thousand or 58.7 percent (boys); 610 thousand or 41.3 percent (girls).
There are some cases when children take the initiative to earn money and help their families. However, more often than not, they find themselves with no choice, but to obey their parents and work at a young age.
In worst-case scenarios, parents exploit their children to earn a large sum of money by involving them in child trafficking, crimes such as robbery, and even acts of violence.
More so, in a country that glorifies resilience, it is sometimes romanticized and viewed as a positive trait, associated with the concept of being "madiskarte."
But do we really see it as a good thing, or have we simply grown accustomed to toxic positivity and tolerance to counter life inconveniences?
Their later life…
Children living in poverty typically do not have the opportunity to attend formal education, but they have a strong desire to learn.
As they grow older, they have fewer opportunities, particularly in terms of employment, considering they have limited skills and knowledge.
They may find jobs, but the salary they would commonly earn is often below the minimum wage, which is not enough to fill their basic needs and cover their bills.
In response, they would be forced to find part-time jobs or hold multiple jobs. Unfortunately, even if they work hard, they will continue to struggle because of the economic problems our country is grappling with.
Amidst continuous inflation, survivability becomes increasingly challenging, as even the once-affordable and easy-to-find staples such as canned goods, eggs, instant noodles, pancit canton, etc., are now less affordable.
Now, the question is, can we eradicate poverty?
Maybe, or just no.
How can these children escape the clutches of poverty, both in the past, present, and future, when the politicians in power, who should be serving the public, are preoccupied with embezzling our tax funds?
How can we give light to the hopeless hope of our country if they see how the government takes poverty reduction as unimportant and low priority?
If we will observe our culture, where discussions about sex are still considered taboo, we can see that they, too, are simply victims and adherents of the notion that having a child is solely a blessing, often forgetting that it also entails a significant responsibility.
In view of this, changing the current status quo of our society can be a solution to end this problem. Hence, being open to family planning and sex education is one of the ways to avoid bringing more children into a life of unjust poverty.
Additionally, when children are being deprived of the opportunity to enjoy life and develop due to this, the government should further empower and establish more plans to intensify its effort to fight against child labor besides providing financial aid to their families. Making the country free of these cases, as well as poverty, should be the topmost priority.
Toxic positivity and tolerance can no longer mend this life’s gaping wounds—it would require either turning a blind eye to those problems or voicing relentless protests and demands for change.
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