The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) renewed its call Friday for a nationwide effort to eliminate child labor, emphasizing that protecting vulnerable children is a shared societal responsibility.

Speaking in observance of World Day Against Child Labor, DSWD Undersecretary Monina Josefina Romualdez said safeguarding children requires support from all sectors of society.

“Fair play for children, decent work for adults, remind us that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and enjoy their childhood — not to be encumbered with work,” Romualdez said.

To combat the issue, the department continues to implement its Strategic Helpdesks for Information, Education, Livelihood and Other Developmental Interventions program, known as SHIELD.

The community-level initiative provides immediate, comprehensive aid to child laborers and their families. Services include case management, educational and livelihood assistance and referrals to other government agencies.

“Through our SHIELD against child labor program and our broader social protection initiatives, we continue to support vulnerable children and their families, helping address the conditions that place children at risk,” Romualdez said.

From 2021 through 2025, the SHIELD program assisted 14,112 child laborers. According to agency data, 4,547 of those children have been assessed as entirely free from any form of child labor.