Child labor in the Philippines is widespread. Rough estimates place the number of child workers at seven million, but there may be more, given that these estimates have not been backed up by a national survey, and considering the shifting and seasonal nature of child labor. Furthermore, the number of child workers may be growing as more Filipino families who live below the poverty line are unable to earn wages, or to earn enough to support themselves and their dependents so their children would not need to turn to child labor in order to supplement the diminishing household income capacity. These families belong to nearly the bottom 30 percent of the 64 million Philippine population. This paper argues for a gender analysis of child labor in the Philippines.