Ban lifted on hiring of minors in entertainment

MANILA, Philippines — Young celebrities aged 15 to below 18 years old are now allowed to resume their work in the entertainment industry, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said over the weekend.

In an advisory, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced the lifting of the temporary suspension on the employment of minors in the entertainment industry, but with strict compliance to public health standards.

“Provided that minimum public health standards as prescribed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Health and the government agencies are strictly implemented and observed, child 15 to below 18 years may participate on cam in studio or location shoot,” Bello said.

However, he stressed that the child has the right to refuse work in accordance with the law on Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Standards.

Bello said the new guidelines are to be followed by employers whose business is allowed to operate during community quarantine and will engage the minors for studio or location shoots for public entertainment or information campaigns.

It supersedes a previous DOLE advisory which suspended the issuance of working child permits until the lifting of modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to prevent their possible exposure to COVID- 19.