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2021 Working Children Situation

Release Date:
Reference Number: 2023-78
Proportion of working children 5 to 17 years old was estimated at 4.3 percent

The total population of children 5 to 17 years old was estimated at 31.64 million in 2021. Of the estimated 31.64 million children 5 to 17 years old in 2021, 1.37 million or 4.3 percent were working. This was higher than the proportion of working children 5 to 17 years old in 2019 and 2020 of 3.4 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. (Figure 1 and Table A)

The number of working children was higher among boys compared to girls. Of the 1.37 million working children in 2021, 858 thousand or 62.8 percent were boys while 508 thousand or 37.2 percent were girls. In 2019 and 2020, more than 65.0 percent of the working children were boys.

Children belonging to the older age group (15 to 17 years) were more likely to work than the younger ones. Majority of the working children belonged to age group 15 to 17 years of age, accounting for 63.8 percent of the total working children in 2021. This was lower than the promotion of working children aged 15 to 17 years of  68.9 percent in 2020 and 67.4 percent in 2019. (Table B)

 

Majority of working children were in agriculture sector

By broad industry group, the agriculture sector consistently reported the highest proportion of working children in three-year period, registering 45.7 percent in 2021, 47.4 percent in 2020, and 44.0 percent in 2019. Services was the second highest section, which accounted for 45.4 percent of the total working children in 2021. The industry sector consistently accounted for the lowest share, with 9.0 percent of the total working children in 2021. (Figure 2 and Table B)

 

Majority of the working children worked for 20 hours or less per week

Working children were asked on the actual number of hours worked during the reference week. Of the 1.37 million total working children, majority (55.9%) reported to have worked 20 hours or less per week in 2021. This was higher than the proportion of children who worked 20 hours or less per week in 2020 at 53.0 percent but lower than the proportion reported in 2019 at 69.6 percent. Meanwhile, children who worked for 21 to 40 hours increased to 27.6 percent in 2021 from 26.7 percent in 2020. (Table B)

Working Children was highest in Northern Mindanao

Across regions, Northern Mindanao posted the highest proportion of working children of 12.5 percent in 2021. This was followed by Caraga Region at 11.1 percent and Region XII or SOCCSKSARGEN at 7.4 percent in 2021. (Table A)

In terms of share to total working children, Northern Mindanao posted the highest at 13.7 percent, followed by CALABARZON at 10.1 percent, and Central Visayas at 8.7 percent. On the other hand, National Capital Region (NCR) at 1.6 percent, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) at 1.7 percent, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at 2.1 percent, had less than three percent each. (Figure 3 and Table B)

 

Child laborers in the country increased in 2021

In this release, child labor includes:(i) hazardous work (hazardous child labor) which encompasses undesirable activities or work done in hazardous environment (as identified in DOLE Order No. 04 (1999) on “Hazardous work and activities to persons below 18 years of age”), and work done for long hours of more than 40 hours and/or night time or the entire day by children in ages 15 to 17 years (Section 12A (2) and (3) of RA No. 9321); and (ii) those classified as other child labor, that is, work by children below 15 years of age in excess of the allowable work hours or less than 20 hours (Sec. 12A (1) of RA No. 9231).

In 2021, the total number of working children considered engaged in child labor was estimated at 935 thousand. This was higher than the reported working children engaged in child labor in 2020 at 597 thousand. In 2019, the estimated number of working children engaged in child labor was 640 thousand. (Table C)

In terms of proportion, 68.4 percent of the working children were engaged in child labor in 2020 and 2021. This was higher than the estimated proportion of 61.2 percent in 2019. (Figure 4 and Table C)

Of the estimated 935 thousand working children engaged in child labor in 2021, 626 thousand or 67.0 percent of them were boys, while 309 thousand or 33.0 percent were girls. (Figure 5 and Table D)

Across age groups, the highest proportion of working children engaged in child labor was in the age group 15 to 17 years at 64.7 percent in 2021. Child laborers aged 15 to 17 years old also comprised the highest share in 2020 and 2019, at 73.3 percent and 71.2 percent, respectively. (Figure 6 and Table D)

Classified by broad industry group in 2021, about 61.9 percent of child laborers were in the agriculture sector, 31.9 percent were in the services sector, and 6.1 percent were in the industry sector. (Figure 7 and Table D)

 

Fifteen in every 100 child laborers were in Northern Mindanao

Across regions, Northern Mindanao had the highest share to the country’s child laborers at 14.8 percent, followed by Central Visayas at 10.0 percent. NCR had the lowest share at 1.2 percent, followed by CAR and BARMM at 2.0 percent. (Figure 8 and Table D)

 

 

 

(Sgd.) DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General