FOLLOWING the low turnout of barangays registering domestic workers or “kasambahay”, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Tuesday urged all 42,046 barangays nationwide to institute a registration system for kasambahays and ensure compliance of employers to protect helpers’ fundamental rights as members of the labor force.

DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that the small number of barangays with registered kasambahays with only 3,359 out of the more than 42,000 barangays nationwide is indicative of “non-compliance” 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 Region V tallied the most barangays that could 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 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 Kasambahay within his/her 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 in the SSS (Social Security System), PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corporation), and Pag-IBIG (Home Development Mutual Fund).

“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 [local government units] to ensure that employers are acting in accordance with our decree,” he 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.

He likewise said that city/municipal mayors must ensure PBs compliance with the law and DILG policies on the registration of kasambahays; and, monitor 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.

Meanwhile, according to the DILG -National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), 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.

DILG-NBOO has likewise reported that 977 LGUs have enacted ordinances and resolutions to implement the Batas Kasambahay.