The Authority of Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) does not and never will allow child labor in the country’s premier freeport.
Engr. Emmanuel D. Pineda, administrator of AFAB, said during the celebration of “World Day Against Child Labor sa Pilipinas 2022” that the Freeport Area of Bataan cannot allow itself to be part of an evil scheme to abuse children by letting them work in any factory.
In his brief remark during the program, Pineda said: “Labanan natin at wakasan ang pang-aabuso sa bata.” (Let us fight child labor and put an end to child abuse.)
Ms. Leilani M. Reynoso, director of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Bataan, said so far there is no record of complaints against child labor in Bataan. “Hihintayin pa ba natin na magkaroon?” she said.
Reynoso said her team had been waging campaign against child labor in different towns of Bataan. She encouraged anyone to report any case of child labor or child abuse for profiling to get to the bottom of the problem.
As per 2011 survey by the DOLE, Central Luzon had the most number of child labor cases followed by Bicol region.
