DILG bats for domestic helper registration

MANILA, Philippines -  To ensure the welfare of all Filipino household workers, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno urged mayors to require their constituents to register all their helpers and for barangay chairmen to implement kasambahay (domestic helper) registration in their localities.

Sueno said mayors must ensure that Republic Act 10361 or Batas Kasambahay, which requires every employer to register all their helpers either with the Registry of Domestic Workers or in barangay registration centers, is implemented.

“All kasambahay have a big role in keeping socioeconomic activities running. They take care of households and look after their employers’ children so their bosses could go to work or attend their enterprise. Their wellbeing ought to be taken care of just like workers in the formal public and private sectors,” the directive to local chief executives read.

The local government chief also ordered barangay chairmen to enact ordinances supporting Batas Kasambahay and set up a registration system in their communities, adding that the registration protects both the employer and the worker.

Under Batas Kasambahay, a domestic worker or kasambahay is any person engaged in household work, including a general house help, nurse, maid, nanny, cook, gardener, or laundry person. It excludes those who perform domestic work only occasionally and children under a foster family arrangement.

 The department directed barangays in July 2013 to have Kasambahay Desks in their centers and to devise a system to ensure the registration of all kasambahays, either at the center or online.

The KR Form 1 and the Kontrata sa Paglilingkod sa Tahanan are available at the barangay, town and city Public Employment Service Office and are downloadable at www.dilg.gov.ph and www.dole.gov.ph.

Employers are also required to immediately notify the Kasambahay Desk if domestic helpers’ contracts are terminated.