Baguio City – Baguio City – All over the world, various events are held to help draw attention to the practice of child labor. These events include seminars, lectures and even concerts. It is also a good day to remember that each and every child has the right to a free quality public education.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labor and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. Each year on June 12, the World Day brings together governments, employers and workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child laborers and what can be done to help them.

In 2015 World Leaders adopted a global commitment to ending child labor and called on the global community to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers.

This year, the World Day Against Child Labor (WDACL) and the World Day for Safety and Health at Work (Safeday) celebrated last April 28 shine a spotlight on the global need to improve the safety and health of young workers and end child labor for the benefit of the next generation.

In the Philippines, WDACL shares the same theme for Safeday, thus the global theme, thus, the global theme “Generation Safe and Healthy” or the localized theme “Ligtas at Malusog na Batang Malaya” highlights the critical importance of improving the safety and health of young workers and removing children from all forms of child labor, including hazardous work and ensuring they have access to quality education.

One of the most significant dates in the Philippine’s history is Independence Day because it marks the nation’s independence from the Spanish rule on June 12, 1898. On the 12th day of June 2018, the nations will commemorate the 120th Anniversary of the proclamation of the Philippine Independence Day through the conduct of various meaningful activities. This year’s global theme is “Kalayaan 2018: Pagbabagong Ipinaglaban Alay sa Masaganang Kinabukasan”.

The Department of Labor and Employment –Cordillera Administrative Region (DOLE-CAR) in partnership with Public Employment Services Office (PESO) Baguio, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and PagIbig Fund for processing of multi-purpose loan and acceptance of job applications will conduct the Kalayaan Jon and Livelihood Fair on June 12, 2018 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Skyzone, Porta Vaga Mall, Upper Session Rd, Baguio City.

There are 1,300 local job vacancies and 4,650 overseas job vacancies or a total of 5,953 job vacancies. The top vacancies up for grabs during the job fair for the local scene include Customer Service Representatives, collection specialists, office based teacher, retail or sales agent, online English teacher, bagger, sales associates, store supervisor and stockman while for the top overseas jobs are agricultural workers, nurses, medical and surgical staff, construction workers, laborers, electrician, waiter and singers.

For the payment of wages for the Regular Holidays on June 12 Independence Day and June 15 Eidul Fitr, the following will guide private sector employers how wages are computed if their workers opted to report for work on these days.

For these holidays, work done during these days shall be paid 200% of an employee’s regular pay for the first eight hours or [(Daily Rate +COLA) x 200%]; while work done in excess of eight hours (overtime), shall be paid an additional 30% of the employee’s hourly rate or [(Hourly Rate of the basic daily wage x 200% x 130% x number of hours worked)].

Meanwhile, work done during these days that also falls on employee’s rest day shall be paid an additional 30% of his/her daily rate of 200% or [(Daily Rate + COLA) x 200%] + [30% (Daily rate x 200%)]; while for work done in excess of eight hours (overtime), shall be paid an additional 30% of his/her hourly rate, or [(Hourly Rate of the basic daily wage x 200% x 130% x 130% x number of hours worked)]. However, if the employee did not report to work during these days, he/she shall still be paid 100% of his/her salary for that day or [(Daily Rate + COLA) x 100%].

“Your freedom is brought to you courtesy of the outstanding Men and Women who serve and have served this country with honor, dedication, pride and sacrifice! “ — Nishan Panwar

END/Patrick T Rillorta