COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) conducted a workshop here on May 23-25 to strengthen the enforcement of anti-child labor laws in the region.
MOLE Minister Muslimin Sema on Thursday said “The three-day activity was just an initial activity. We shall have more soon. We appreciate the efforts of the ILO. It is a strong partner in furthering peace and sustainable development in the Bangsamoro region.”
The workshop was facilitated by the Integrated Resource Development for Tri-People (IRDP), a non-government organization based in Zamboanga City.
Sema said the office of Khalid Hassan, ILO country director for the Philippines, was the main benefactor of the three-day workshop that was participated by employees and officials of agencies that are engaged in the government’s campaign against child labor in the communities.
Surab A. Abutazil, MOLE Director-General, said their efforts to address child labor and child soldiers are in line with the socio-economic and humanitarian objectives of the government’s peace agreements with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI) Chairman Mohammad Pasigan said they support the program by telling the investors in different capital-intensive agricultural and industrial projects to oblige their workers to help the MOLE and the ILO in their campaign against child labor.
Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) said he directed the police to report to the MOLE any case of child labor that they can monitor.
