Jacques Allan S.

Cosep

Children unloading cement at the Port.

Child labor is indeed a social problem in our society. There are many reasons as to why it
was considered such. First is, it is illegal. Our Constitution intensely prohibits this act that it
only mandates children to receive proper education and the right to live as children. Legally
speaking, it is a social problem because our society rejects child labor yet its condition
persists. The Child laborers at the port of Dapitan were also willing to tell their stories. One
confided that it was because his father only battered his mother and that they didnt have
any money. The other mentioned that his father was only a fisherman and that his earnings
were not enough to suffice the familys need. The Child laborers at Dapitan were also
lamenting over the fact that their work was really hard, health threatening and heavy since
they had to carry sacks of cement for hours. The treatment of their boss was not cruel yet
harsh, since they were only allowed to have a break at 1:00 after the adults had finished
having their lunch. The video Minsan lang sila bata is really a wakeup call for me as
an NDDU student. The kids in the video literally floored me. I was shocked how the kids
made their living during unholy hours of the night just for a strip of fat from swines skin or
carrying not less than 250 sacks of cement per day for 10 pesos. These kids made me count
again my blessings. There are things that I have taken for granted for most of the time. My
job, for instance, is an example. I would sometimes complain about my salary and benefits
but I also fail to realize that there are some people, especially kids, would rather enter any
kind of job just to put food on their table. Their love for their job made me humble. Lastly, I
am moved by the motivation of these kids family. I am touched by their selflessness. At
young age, they show great love for their family. They are not bitter for their fate. They work
for their family and tried to understand their situation.