DOLE: Many employers not observing Kasambahay Law

MANILA, Philippines – Many employers are still not complying with the Kasambahay Law more than two years after its enactment.

Data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed that only a few of the estimated two million domestic helpers or kasambahays nationwide are members of the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and Pag-IBIG Fund.

DOLE reported that as of December 2014, more than 120,000 kasambahays are registered with SSS, 24,671 with Pag-IBIG Fund and 59,734 with PhilHealth.

The Kasambahay Law requires employers to register their household service workers with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG as part of government efforts to provide these workers with social protection.

Based on 2010 data of the Philippine Statistics Authority, there were about 1.9 million domestic workers nationwide.

Of total number, 600,000 were 16 to 24 years old while 200,000 were 15 to 17 years old.

About 87,000 were staying in the households of their employers.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday maintained that the passage and implementation of the Kasambahay Law is one of the biggest accomplishments of the government.

“The Aquino administration is the first to prioritize the welfare and social protection of kasambahays. Before, domestic workers were considered lowest paid and few employers complied with the law requiring the workers to be registered for social security benefits,” Baldoz said.

She said President Aquino paid close attention to the local domestic workers because they are considered a vulnerable sector. –Mayen Jaymalin, The Philippine Star