Mandaue barangays urged to have ‘Kasambahay Desks’

Mandaue barangays are encouraged to implement the law where ‘Kasambahay Desks’ will be set up. | Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Public Employment Service Office in Mandaue City (PESO-Mandaue) is encouraging barangays to comply with Republic Act 10361 or the “Domestic Workers Act”, where they would establish a ‘Kasambahay Desk’.

Musuline Suliva, PESO-Mandaue head, said that only 5 of the 27 barangays in the city were able to establish the desk and pass data regarding the number of registered house helpers in their barangays.

These are barangays Subangdaku, Cambaro, Looc, Basak, and Maguikay.

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Kasambahay Desk

The Kasambahay Desk would assist house helpers to register and whenever they have complaints and concerns against their employers.

RA 10361 or the ‘Act Instituting Policies for the Protection and Welfare of Domestic Workers was approved in January of 2013 and the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) were promulgated in May of the same year. 

The law requires all employers to register their “kasambahay”under their employment in the barangay where their residence is located.

Sections 1 and 2 of rule 4 of the IRR, also stipulate the barangays with SSS, Pag-IBIG, and Philhealth to conduct common registration.

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Submit data to DILG

Suliva said that barangays would need to submit the data to them every month and they would also forward it to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“(Giawhag nato) In fact, pag-unang gawas sa balaod ni-launch sad dayun. Mingadto sa Insular square, gi-imbitar namo ang tanan’g barangay. At least, makahibawo sad sila unsaon,” said Suliva.

([We call on them] In fact, when the law was passed we launched right away. We went to Insular Square, we invited all brangays. At least, they will know how to do it.)

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Purpose for Kasambahay desks

“Purpose ani (law) pagtan-aw pila kabuok ang nagtrabaho nga kasambahay, pagtan-aw sab kung gihatagan ba sila sa sakto’ng suhulan, matabangan if naa silay reklamo batok sa ila’ng employer,” he added.

(The purpose (in law) is to see how many house helper are there in the barangays, to see if they were given the exact amount of their salary, they can be helped if they have a complaint against their employer.)

Recently, Barangay Canduman also set up its ‘Kasambahay’ Desk where four house helpers have already registered.

“Taga dinhi (Canduman) ra man pod sila. Kalabanan nagstay-in, naa lay usa wala iya duty to 6 a.m to 6 p.m,” said Ma. Chona Cabilan.

(They are just from here (Canduman). Most of them are staying in, there is just one who has a duty of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) 

Canduman Barangay Captain Dante Borbajo, said that they would probably conduct a house-to-house survey after the election to know how many house helpers were in the barangay.