Protection and Welfare Take Center Stage in Kasambahay Day Celebration

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 6, in collaboration with the Iloilo City government, celebrated Araw ng Kasambahay on Jan. 31, 2024, to recognize the essential role of kasambahays (household workers) in society.

Local officials, employer representatives, homeowners’ associations, and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO)-Iloilo City joined the kasambahays in a learning session focused on their rights and protections under Republic Act 10361 (Batas Kasambahay) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190 (ILO C190). The latter is the first international treaty recognizing the right to a workplace free from violence and harassment.

Participants were also briefed on the care work economy, as well as the rehabilitation and rescue procedures for kasambahays in distress.

During the open forum, barangay leaders raised concerns about difficulties in obtaining data on kasambahays, citing non-disclosure by some homeowners. DOLE Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez Jr. instructed kasambahay program focal persons to take immediate action on advocacy and information dissemination efforts in barangays.

This year’s celebration, themed “#PARAKAYK: Katatagan para sa isang Bayan na Nakikilahok at Nagkakaisa para sa Bagong Pilipinas,” also marked the 12th anniversary of the Batas Kasambahay, which was signed into law on Jan. 18, 2013.

The event also featured online discussions led by DOLE’s Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), which provided a deeper understanding of:

• Kasambahays’ rights and obligations
• Employer responsibilities
• Government agency programs available for household workers

The Araw ng Kasambahay celebration reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting safe, fair, and dignified working conditions for household workers across the country.