to promote awareness and understanding of the plight of Filipino child laborers, the Office for Students Affairs (Osacs), the Community Development Coordinating Council (CDCC), and Community Service (ComSerV) unveiled a year-long project with the theme, “The Thomasian Year for the Filipino Child”.
In an interview with the Varsitarian, CDCC director Prof. Jose Cruz III said that the project was the brainchild of the student leaders from ComSerV, who attended a forum on child labor.
Cruz said the students considered child labor as a relevant and significant issue seldom tackled within the University.
“An understanding of the phenomenon and occurrence of child labor is one way of understanding and getting to the roots of poverty,” Cruz said.
In line with the project, a symposium entitled “Go Hungry For The Kids” was held at the Rizal Auditorium of the St. Raymund’s building Last July 10.
Speakers from non-government organizations tackled the issue of child labor in the Philippines. Former child laborers presented a play that depicted the hardships and dangers they faced while being made to do servile jobs.
In connection with the project, Osacs tied up with World Vision, an international organization which spearheads the program “24-Hour of Famine.” It will encourage the participants to fast for 24-hours to generate funds.
Cruz said that the project is an innovative way to raise funds since it would let the participants feel how it is to be hungry for 24 hours, just like child laborers.
Meanwhile, the University, through Osacs, organized a relief drive for the victims of the recent Mayon eruption. The University donated 32 sacks of rice, canned goods and used clothing among 1,500 families who were displaced by the eruption. Billy Joe I. Allardo
