This study offers a critical examination of the short story Impeng Negro, foregrounding the complex and enduring issue of child labor in the Philippines. Grounded in Elisabeth Young-Bruehl’s theory of Childism and employing Torres- Yu’s Text–Intertext–Context framework, the analysis interrogates the forms, causes, and effects of child labor through the lived experiences of the child protagonist and their intersections with broader social realities. By deepening the narrative of the child worker as a primary victim of labor exploitation, the study broadens critical perspectives on child labor as a social problem. Ultimately, the paper demonstrates that literary criticism informed by childism offers these valuable insights in examining key issues related to child labor; (1) Discrimination and Marginalization against children, (2) Various forms of abuse and neglects, (3) Misguided Beliefs and Cultural Norms, (4) Disregarding Children’s Rights, and (5) Having Equal Regard for Children. With this, it functions as an effective critical and pedagogical intervention; one that advances both social awareness and the progressive advocacy of children’s rights through education and literature.