The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged barangay officials institute a registration system for the "kasambahay" (househelps) to ensure that all their employers are following the laws that protect them.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año has strongly pushed for the measure it recorded a low turnout on the registration of kasambahay at the barangay level.

He said only 3,359 out of the more than 42,000 barangays nationwide have registered ‘kasambahay’ which is an indicative of noncompliance with the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 10361, otherwise known as 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.

“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 were able to institute kasambahay registration with 627 followed by Region VI with 584 and Region VIII with 499. Most regions registered below 200 barangays.

He said that the Punong Barangays (PBs) must 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 (IRR).

Under the IRR of RA 10361, PBs shall be responsible for the registry of the kasambahay within their jurisdiction with each employer registering kasambahay/s under his or her 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,” he said.

The DILG chief added that 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.

Likewise, Año said that the local chief executives (LCE) must see to it the PBs compliance with the law and DILG policies on the registration and monitoring of the kasambahays and ensure the compliance of their respective Public Employment Service Office (PESO) on the consolidation of Kasambahay-related reports and the subsequent submission of the same to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), copy furnished DILG City/Municipal Field Office.

The DILG -National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) noted that 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, 2022.

It also reported that there are 977 local government units (LGUs) that have enacted ordinances and resolutions for the implementation of the Batas Kasambahay. (Chito A. Chavez)