From child labour to union leader in geothermal power

KIDAPAWAN, Philippines (ILO News) - At just 10 years old, Raul Amba traded his childhood for a chance to stay in school.

Instead of spending his days playing with friends, Raul worked as a child domestic worker. He washed clothes, cleaned dishes, and did household chores in exchange for an education his family could not afford. Growing up in a family of six, with a father earning a modest income as a driver, poverty left little room for dreams. "It was really hard to get through school for all of us siblings," Raul recalled.

For Raul, education was never guaranteed. Every lesson came at the cost of long hours of labour. Like millions of children forced into work by poverty, he learned early that survival often comes before childhood.

Today, at 50 years old, Raul stands in a very different place. He is a senior production operator at the Energy Development Corporation in the Philippines, where he has worked for 27 years helping generate geothermal energy. He is also President of the Mount Apo Workers Union, using his own journey to champion decent work and ensure that workers are not left behind as the energy sector evolves.

© Minette Rimando/ILO

© Minette Rimando/ILO

His path, however, was anything but easy. As a young man, Raul dreamed of becoming a mechanical engineer.

"My ambition was really to be a mechanical engineer. But university tuition in the city was beyond my family's reach,” Raul added. Forced to abandon that dream, he enrolled instead in a three-year mechanical technology course, believing financial hardship had permanently closed the door to the career he wanted.

Years of dedication changed that story. Recognizing the knowledge and expertise he had gained through decades of experience, the company promoted Raul to a position typically reserved for engineering graduates. The promotion became more than a career milestone. It validated skills acquired through years of hard work, proving that skills, talent and experience also deserve recognition.

"Even though I did not finish the engineering course, at least my job is for an engineer. It is a great recognition for me because that was really my ambition."

For Raul, recognition of skills was deeply personal, and a crucial part of a just transition. It was also a reminder that workers should have opportunities to grow regardless of the barriers they faced early in life. Fair pathways for advancement are essential to achieving decent work.

His commitment to workers extends far beyond the power plant. As President of the Mount Apo Workers Union, Raul advocates for labour rights and for a just transition, ensuring that the shift toward a greener economy creates opportunities instead of uncertainty.

After participating in the International Labour Organization (ILO) training on just transition, he became convinced that workers must have a voice in shaping the future of the energy sector.

Recognizing the need to ensure no one is left behind, he joined another training in Mindanao held in June 2026 under the ILO Enhancing Tripartite Roles to Uphold Just Transitions (ENTRUST) initiative in partnership with the Associated Labor Unions - Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).

The initiative is supported by the ILO’s Regular Budget Supplementary Account (RBSA) with contributions from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Qatar.

© Minette Rimando/ILO

© Minette Rimando/ILO

"We do not want any worker to be affected or displaced. No one should be left behind," Raul emphasized. He believes the clean energy transition can only succeed if it protects livelihoods alongside the environment. That is why he is pushing to establish a dedicated just transition committee in the union's next Collective Bargaining Agreement, giving workers a seat at the table whenever new technologies or workplace changes are introduced.

For Raul, a just transition means more than cleaner energy, but also human dignity. It means respecting workers' rights, recognizing their skills, investing in training, and ensuring that every worker has access to decent work throughout economic and technological change.

His union also supports environmental stewardship through large scale tree planting initiatives that have helped restore millions of trees, demonstrating that protecting people and protecting the planet can go hand in hand.

Yet the memory of childhood hardship remains close. His greatest hope is simple. He wants his children to grow up with opportunities he never had, without ever having to choose between education and survival.

"When the head of the family has a job, everyone is happy." By fighting for workers' rights, skills recognition, and a just transition today, he is helping build a better future of work.