REGION 3 HOUSEHOLD WORKERS GET PAY HIKE
THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) of Central Luzon has approved a P1,000 increase in the monthly minimum wage of household workers or “kasambahay” in the region.
Wage Order RBH-DW-O4, approved on March 4, 2024, increases the monthly wage rate of kasambahay by P1,000 in chartered cities and first class municipalities, and P1,500 in other municipalities. The increase would bring the monthly minimum wage in the region to P6,000.
A total of 126,762 domestic workers, approximately 9 percent (11,595) of whom are on live-in arrangement, are expected to benefit.
The new wage order will take effect on April 1, 2024 or 15 days after its scheduled publication on March 16, 2024.
In accordance with existing laws and procedures, the wage order was submitted to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) for review and was affirmed on March 12, 2024.
The increase considered the results of the survey conducted and public hearing held, as well as the needs of domestic workers and their families, the employer’s capacity to pay, and the existing socioeconomic conditions in the region. The Board, composed of representatives from the government, management and labor sectors, conducted the regional public hearing on Feb. 25, 2024, in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
The last wage order for domestic workers in the region was issued on May 30, 2022 and became effective on June 20, 2022.
The Labor department reminded employers that kasambahay, which are now categorized as formal sector workers, should be registered with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG Fund, and are entitled to a weekly 24-hour rest period and annual service incentive leave with pay.
Under Republic Act (RA) 10361 or the “Kasambahay Law,” it is unlawful to employ children under the age of 15. It is also illegal to withhold their wages and benefits and require them to make deposits for loss or damaged items in the household, and placing them on debt bondage.
If employers are proven guilty of employing minors as kasambahay, they can be penalized with a fine ranging from P10,000 to P40,000. These penalties are on top of the civil and criminal charges that can be filed against the employers under RA 9231 or the law on the elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
The Labor department also underscored the importance of having a contract of employment or a written agreement between the kasambahay and their employers to specify the scope of work and benefits of the domestic worker.
Kasambahay who are experiencing abuse or would like to report their employers for labor laws violations are urged to visit the nearest DoLE regional offices throughout the country or call the DoLE Hotline 1349.