Senator Loren Legarda commemorated the 21st anniversary of the landmark Republic Act (RA) No. 9231 or the Anti-Child Labor Law and underscored its positive impact in reducing child labor in the country as recently reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Legarda is the principal author and co-sponsor of the law.

RA No.9231, enacted on Dec. 19, 2003, aims to eliminate the worst forms of child labor and provide stronger protection for working children by amending RA No. 7610, also known as the "Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act." 
Its salient features include prohibiting the worst forms of child labor, regulating the hours of work for children, ensuring access to education and skills training, ensuring that wages shall be allotted to such education, and establishing penalties for employers violating child labor laws.

According to the PSA, the number of working children aged 5 to 17 decreased to approximately 1.09 million in 2023, down by nearly 400,000 from the previous year’s figure of 1.48 million. Of the 1.09 million working children in 2023, 647,000 (59.1 percent) were boys, while 447,000 (40.9 percent) were girls.

The proportion of working children has also fallen from 4.7 percent in 2022 to 3.5 percent in 2023. These positive trends indicate the growing effectiveness of the Anti-Child Labor law, which addresses the worst forms of child labor in the Philippines.

Data from studies conducted before the implementation of the law estimated that child labor in the Philippines affected 4 million children in 2001.

RA No.9231 prohibits children under 15 from working, except in non-hazardous family-owned businesses, and establishes a system for monitoring and rehabilitating child laborers. It bans hazardous work, focuses on children’s health, safety, and morals, and mandates rehabilitation, education, and social services, contributing to a significant reduction in child labor.

The number of children engaged in hazardous work fell from 935,000 in 2021 to 678,000 in 2023. This decline underscores the success of RA 9231 in curbing the most dangerous forms of child labor.

Legarda praised the law’s progress but emphasized that more work needs to be done. “The decline in the number of working children is a significant achievement, but we cannot afford to be complacent,” Legarda said. “RA 9231 has made a real difference in protecting children from hazardous work and providing them with opportunities for a better future. However, we must continue our efforts to address the root causes of child labor, such as poverty and lack of access to education.”

The four-term Senator highlighted that despite the progress, the majority of working children are still found in the agriculture sector, which remains the largest employer of child laborers. She called for continued vigilance and stronger enforcement of the law to ensure no child is left behind.

According to the PSA, in 2023, the proportion of working children in the agriculture sector was recorded at 43.7 percent, slightly higher than the 43.2 percent in 2022. In 2021, the agriculture sector had the largest share of working children at 45.7 percent.

“We need to tackle the root causes of child labor, particularly poverty, and expand access to education for all children,” Legarda said. “Through continued collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, and local communities, we can ensure that every child is given the chance to thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.”

On the 21st anniversary of RA (RA) 9231, the law’s progress in reducing child labor serves as a reminder of the collective efforts required to protect children and secure a brighter future for them.

In this Congress, Legarda co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill (SB) No. 2896 or the Magna Carta of Children, which seeks to enshrine the rights of our children into the core of the nation’s laws.

"Children are meant to be children—free to learn, play, and grow without the weight of labor overshadowing their innocence. There is no greater investment we can make than in the well-being of our children, for in nurturing their futures, we secure the prosperity of us all."