DILG wants registration system for kasambahays due to low turnout

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government urged all 42,046 barangays around the country to institute a registration system for kasambahays and ensure compliance of employers to protect helpers’ rights as members of the labor force.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement that the small number of barangays with registered kasambahays of 3,359 out of the more than 42,000 barangays nationwide indicates noncompliance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 10361 or the Domestic Workers Act.

“There is more work to be done in the barangays in imploring better kasambahay registration turnout only. We direct our Punong Barangays 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.

“With the care and service they [kasambahays] provide to households, especially to parents and their children, domestic workers deserve safe and healthful working conditions,” he added.

Año said Bicol Region tallied the most number of barangays that instituted kasambahay registration with 627 followed by Western Visayas Region with 584 and Eastern Visayas Region with 499. Most regions registered below 200 barangays.

He said that barangay captains should safeguard the welfare of kasambahays and protect them against all kinds of abuses and economic exploitations by strengthening the implementation of Batas Kasambahay and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

Under the law, barangay captains shall be responsible for the Registry of Kasambahay within their jurisdiction with each employer registering kasambahays under their employment in the barangay of his residence. The employer shall also enroll the kasambahay to the SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG.

“Our PBs and barangay officials are integral in realizing the full effect of Batas Kasambahay in the communities. 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,” the DILG chief also said.

He said the PBs must also update their respective Barangay Registries of Kasambahay; establish Kasambahay Desk; designate Kasambahay Desk Officer; enact Ordinances/Resolutions to implement the Law; and, post Barangays Kasambahay Flow Chart within the barangay premises.

The DILG also said that city and municipal mayors should ensure barangay captains' compliance with the law and DILG policies on the registration of kasambahays and monitor the compliance of their respective Public Employment Service Office on the consolidation of Kasambahay-related reports. 

According to the DILG -National Barangay Operations Office, 32,902 kasambahays were registered nationwide with 28,149 barangays establishing their Kasambahay Desk and 28,074 barangays with designated Kasambahay Desk Officer, as of June 7.

There are 977 local government units which have enacted ordinances and resolutions for the implementation of the Batas Kasambahay, the NBOO also said.