Pa-aling and kubkub are two kinds of fishing technology. Pa-aling has taken the place of Muro-ami. Although a different technology, the working conditions and the existence of child labour persist under kubkub. Kubkub also hire children as fish workers and hence also a hazardous venture.
The study finds out from interviews that some children join their fathers in kubkub expedition, while others join on their own by traveling to one of many departure points in Negros Oriental. Some of them are recruited by relatives and or canvassers to join fishing ventures. Poverty is the main reason cited for joining fishing activities. Most of the children would like to help support or provide financial assistance to their families.
The most difficult task perceived are: pulling the nets, lifting coolers, pulling anchor, loading ice, operating the winch, pulling weights, arranging ropes and collecting fish. Hazards known are falling off the boat, drowning, burns, getting entangled in the net or rope or winch and losing a limb. Many children survived with a lost limb.
Much is known yet much continues to be also unknown particularly the true social cost of child labour in the context of a market-driven fishing industry. One particular need is a clearer and more accurate understanding of deep sea fishing as an industry, i.e., pa-aling vis-à-vis fish yields and stocks. The persistence of child labour is also associated with depleting resources hence the abolition of child labor means an improvement in efforts to regenerate and conserve fish stocks. Without this consideration, any effort at abolishing child labour may miss out an important and critical reason for its existence.
Again it is advocacy that should help address the root causes of the child labour phenomenon as seen and understood by families, communities and other concerned parties. Any intervention should at the outset consider the fact that this is a market-driven and market-based industry hence the need for the operators to be an active collaborator in all the pursuits. The greatest challenge for the operators: how they can include in their accounting process and decision making the realities of declining fish yields vis-à-vis the use of child labor - the true social cost.
