Philippines SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENT

In 2013, the Philippines made a significant advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) updated the country’s hazardous list for children and conducted additional research on child labor in agriculture, the largest child labor sector, to inform policy and programs. The Government also implemented the Convergence Program Against Child Labor (2013–2016) to assist local governments in creating child-labor free communities. The President of the Philippines issued an executive order to prevent grave child rights violations by creating improved monitoring systems for children in armed conflict. The Government also passed the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act to establish a permanent Interagency Council, create a database on trafficking cases, expand provisions t