The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced on Friday that the proportion of children aged 5 to 17 working is estimated at 4.3 percent, or 1.37 million.
According to PSA, of the 31.64 million children aged 5 to 17 in 2021, 1.37 million or 4.3 percent worked, which is higher than the share of working children aged 5 to 17 in 2019 and 2020. amounting to 3.4 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. . .
At the same time, the number of working children was higher among boys, numbering 858 thousand, or 62.8%, compared with girls, numbering 508 thousand, or 37.2%.
The majority of child laborers were in the 15-17 age group, representing 63.8 percent of the total child laborer in 2021.
The agricultural sector has consistently posted the highest proportion of child laborers over the three-year period, at 45.7 percent in 2021, 47.4 percent in 2020 and 44.0 percent in 2019.
Meanwhile, the industrial sector has consistently accounted for the lowest share: 9.0 percent of total child laborers in 2021.
In terms of working hours, 55.9 percent reported that they worked 20 hours or less per week in 2021. This is 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 recorded in 2019. at the level of 69.6%.
In total, 27.6% of children work between 21 and 40 hours, compared to 26.6% in 2020.
Working children were also the highest in Northern Mindanao at 12.5 percent. It is followed by the 13th region (Karaga district) with 11.1% and the 12th region (Soccsksargen) with 7.4% in 2021.
In terms of the share of total child laborers, Northern Mindanao had the highest rate at 13.7 percent, followed by Region 4-A (Calabarzon) at 10.1 percent and Region 7 (Central Visayas) at 8.7 percent.
On the other hand, the National Capital Region makes up 1.6 percent, the Cordillera Administrative Region 1.7 percent, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao 2.1 percent.