THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has vowed to promote the domestic workers (kasambahays) rights and welfare as the nation observed the 2024 Araw ng mga Kasambahay.
DOLE Workers’ Welfare and Protection Cluster Undersecretary Benjo Santos Benavidez said this year’s celebration centers on bringing government services closer to the kasambahays, also referred to as domestic helpers.
“All the government’s services, and the concerned government agencies are focused to assist and protect their rights,” Benavidez said.
Citing a 2019 survey, Benavidez said that only around one million of the 1.4 million kasambahays “are without arrangement” with only 3 percent to 4 percent having written contracts and about 60 percent aware of the “Batas Kasambahay”.
Republic Act No. 10361, or the “Batas Kasambahay”, was signed on Jan. 18, 2013 as part of the state’s further commitment to protecting domestic workers by ensuring their safe and healthful working conditions.
“We have already achieved some significant developments since 2013 and more progress will be achieved in the future. That is the very purpose why, for the celebration of the Araw ng Kasambahay this year, we mobilized all the services of the government.” he said.
Benavidez cited the need to expand the coverage of social security benefits, as well as the registration of kasambahays in their barangays as required by the law to protect them further.
