Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Interior and the Local Government (DILG) urged all barangays in the country on Tuesday to institute a registration system for “kasambahays” (helpers) to protect their rights as members of the labor force.
According to DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, only 3,359 out of the 42,046 barangays nationwide have registered kasambahays, which indicates noncompliance with the Republic Act’s provisions 10361 or the “Domestic Workers Act” or “Batas Kasambahay.”
“There is more work to be done in the barangays in imploring better kasambahay registration turnout only. We direct our Punong Barangays (PBs) to be more proactive in instituting a registration system for our helpers as it is critical to ensuring that they are accorded the full protection of the law,” Año said in a statement.
Año said that Region V had the highest number of barangays able to comply with the registration system with 627, followed by Region VI with 584, and Region VIII with 499; while most regions registered below 200 barangays.
The DILG secretary also urged barangay chieftains to protect the domestic workers from “all kinds of abuses and economic exploitations.”
Under the implementing rules and regulations of the Domestic Workers Act, barangay chieftains should be responsible for the registration of domestic workers working under employers in their jurisdiction.
It also states that employers should enroll their domestic workers in the Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Pag-IBIG.
“Our PBs and barangay officials are integral in realizing the full effect of Batas Kasambahay in the communities,” Año said.
“Because registration is crucial for kasambahays to enjoy government-mandated benefits, we need the cooperation of our LGUs to ensure that employers are acting in accordance with our decree,” he added.
Likewise, Año also said that city and municipal mayors should ensure that barangay chieftains comply with the registration system of domestic workers. — Xander Dave Ceballos, trainee
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