THE City Government of Davao, through the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO), will be celebrating the Araw ng Kasambahay on January 18 by raising awareness of the rights of domestic workers in the city.
CSWDO Family Welfare Program focal person Lynmar Podador said a series of forums with domestic workers and employers will be held to address concerns on the rights and privileges of kasambahays.
“For this year, same as last year, naa ta’y kasambahay forum. Ginapahigayon ni siya sa atoang 15 district offices sa CSWDO. So every district naga-conduct sila og forum wherein didto i-discuss mga issues ug concerns sa atoang mga kasambahay (For this year, same as last year, we will have a kasambahay forum. This is conducted in the 15 district offices of the CSWDO. So every district will conduct this forum where the issues and concerns of our domestic workers will be discussed),” she said during the Serbisyo Dabawenyo program of the Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday.
The forum will focus on the Republic Act 10361 or the Domestic Worker’s Act, according to CSWDO Street Families and Individuals Focal Person Carmela Grado.
“Every year kasi naa ta’y list of activities pero ang atong ginapakusgan gyud kay kadtong rights nila na dila ma-abuse and then karon gani naa na ‘sab siyay bagong law ‘no pero wala pa ginahulat pa nato so didto sa mi naga-follow sa 10361 or Batas Kasambahay (Every year we have a list of activities but what we are focusing on this year is ensuring their rights are not abused, and now there is another law but that is still pending so we currently follow the RA 10361 or Batas Kasambahay),” Grado said.
Under the Batas Kasambahay or the Domestic Worker’s Act, employers are obligated to register their newly hired domestic worker in the master list of kasambahays in the barangay. Podador said a master list of domestic workers in the city is crucial in monitoring the welfare of kasambahays and in taking action against abusive employers.
Once registered in the barangay, employers must then fill up the PPS-HEUR1 form or the Household Employer Unified Registration Form which entails PhilHealth, SSS, and Pag-IBIG benefits for their employees.
The law also includes a provision encouraging the creation of a Kasambahay help desk in all barangays that will process the registration of domestic workers and the creation of a master list. However, Podador said, despite the CSWDO’s efforts, most barangays in the city are yet to comply.
“Dugay na kaayo siya pero up to now, muingon ka’g list gyud nato, wala gyud nato na siya makita sa barangay. Kung naa man, pipila lang na siya (This law has been around for a while but up to now we can’t say we have a master list as most barangays are not compliant. If they are, then there are only very few of them),” Podador added.
For the observation of the Araw ng Kasambahay, the CSWDO will be holding talks in all district offices on the Domestic Workers Act and the DILG Memorandum Circular 2013-61 which provides “guidelines for the barangay registration of all Kasambahay nationwide”. The campaign for the creation of barangay Kasambahay help desks will also be a highlight. CIO