THE CONTINUED rise in prices of goods may lead to an increase in the number of child laborers in the Davao Region in 2026, as more families struggle to meet their daily needs and may rely on their kids to help earn a living.
Speaking at the Isyu Karon Monthly Media Forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Hannah Princess M. Taguinod, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI SHIELD Program focal person, said inflation may worsen the financial difficulties of vulnerable households.
As a result, this would push more children into work to help support their families. The concern also extends to the younger siblings of existing child laborers, who may become encouraged to work after seeing their brothers or sisters contribute to the family’s income.
Based on Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) data, Davao Region recorded 3,819 child laborers in 2025.
Davao de Oro had the highest number with 1,108, followed by Davao City with 880, Davao Oriental with 617, Davao Occidental with 553, Davao del Norte with 433, and Davao del Sur with 228.
Taguinod said many working children are considered breadwinners who take on jobs because they want to help their families, particularly when their parents are sick or unable to provide sufficient income.
“Most of these children want to help their families. Some of them have parents who are sick, so they feel the need to work and contribute to their household,” Taguinod explained.
To address the problem, the DSWD XI is implementing the SHIELD, or Strategic Helpdesks for Information, Education, Livelihood and Other Developmental Services Program, which aims to help eliminate child labor through livelihood assistance and other support for affected families.
As part of the intervention, social workers visit identified child laborers and their households to determine the reasons they entered the workforce and assess the assistance they need.
Taguinod said the program serves as an augmentation to help families become financially independent, allowing children to leave work and focus on their education and development.
“We are only here to augment and support them. Once they are capable of standing on their own, that is when we can gradually pull out our assistance,” she said.
She said the DSWD XI is encouraging vulnerable families to avail themselves of available livelihood and support services to prevent economic difficulties from forcing children into labor.
The agency’s intervention aims to address not only the situation of working children but also the financial circumstances that drive families to depend on their children’s earnings.
