MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the institutionalization of the National Council Against Child Labor to strengthen the protection of the youth against exploitation.

Under Executive Order No. 92, signed by the President on Sept. 17 but made public only Friday, the council will serve as the reorganized version of the National Child Labor Committee.

The new body is tasked to formulate a framework and national action plan for the effective enforcement of Republic Act No. 7610, or the law on the special protection of children against abuse.

It is also ordered to conduct advocacy campaigns on child labor, and conduct research on the practice for the government's policy development.

The council is also mandated to establish mechanisms to help child laborers and their families, and systems so that the public can easily report child labor incidences to authorities.

The council shall be chaired by the labor secretary and co-chaired by the social welfare chief.

Its members include the secretaries of the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

Also included are the directors of the National Economic and Development Authority, Philippine Information Agency, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Council for the Welfare of Children among others.

Aside from government officials, Duterte also ordered the workers sector, employers sector, and non-government organizations with programs on child labor to have 2 representatives each in the council.

Duterte's order also requires the council to convene technical working groups to monitor the implementation of the Philippine Program Against Child Labor, which aims to take at least 1 million kids out of child labor by 2025.

Read the full executive order here:

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