The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and SRA-GAD Focal Point System-Visayas held a forum event in celebration of “World Day Against Child Labor” last June 14, 2018 at SRA Bacolod Training Center. SRA invited SIFI President, Ms. Edith Y. Villanueva, a known advocate of child labor prevention, to share her experiences, knowledge and learnings in the elimination of child labor in the sugar industry.
The event was led by Ms. Rosario F. Motus, Human Resource Officer III and SRA-Visayas Vice Chairperson and supported by the SRA-Visayas staff.
Ms. Edith Villanueva presented the “Child Labour – Free Philippines” data which detailed that in a 2011 survey on children, there were over 26.6 million working children ages from 5-17 years old and 2M of those are working in hazardous child labor. However, the government and private sector had responded to this dilemma specifically, SIFI in Partnership with ABK3 where they have built strategic interventions in years 2011-2015 with Education, Livelihood, Advocacy and Monitoring. Ms. Villanueva highlighted the advocacy intervention of SIFI consisting of training Child Rights Advocates (CRAs), strengthening capacities of LGUs and Planters and promoting Local Ordinances and Policies for Child Labor Prevention.
Ms. Villanueva also shared the “Responsible Sourcing from Smallholders” (RSS) Program in the Philippine Sugar Sector. This is a SIFI-Proforest-Nestle Partnership with the three Mills namely Lopez Sugar Corporation, Hawaiian-Philippine Company, and Victorias Milling Company in collaboration with SRA and PHILSURIN. Their strategy is to address the risks and needs of the post harvest trash burning, non-use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), affordable financing, alternative livelihood, child labor, and access to info and capability building.
