The Essence of Perseverance in the Lives of Child Laborers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsair.V2.I2.327Keywords:
Child Labor, Perseverance, Resilience, Lived Experiences, Family Motivation, Future Aspirations, Adaptive CopingAbstract
This study explores the essence of perseverance in the lives of Filipino child laborers who are compelled to work due to poverty, disrupted education, and familial responsibility. With over one million children engaged in labor in the Philippines, many in hazardous environments, understanding how they endure daily hardships remains an important gap in existing literature. Guided by Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (1991), the study examines how child laborers form attitudes, motivations, and intentions that shape their perseverance. Specifically, it addresses the following central questions: the difficulties they encounter, how they manifest perseverance, the personal goals they set, and the motivations that sustain them amid challenging conditions. Using a qualitative design through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the researchers conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with six out-of-school child laborers aged 12 to 17 in Calamba, Laguna. Findings revealed nine central themes capturing their lived experiences: persistent physical strain, exposure to workplace risks, emotional resilience, adaptive learning, family-driven motivation, goal-setting behavior, and future-oriented aspirations. The results show that perseverance is not merely survival but a complex interplay of responsibility, hope, and cultural values. These findings underscore the need for strengthened child protection policies, accessible education, psychosocial support, and economic interventions that address the systemic roots of child labor. Ultimately, the study highlights the resilience of young workers while calling attention to the urgent need to reduce labor dependence and safeguard children’s rights and development.
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