House OKs maids' bill

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading on Wednesday night the Kasambahay Bill that guarantees the protection and welfare of domestic workers in the country.

Lawmakers unanimously approved House Bill 6144, which is also in compliance with standards set by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the employment of domestic helpers as well as cooks, gardeners, laundry persons and nursemaids.

The bill was authored by Reps. Emil Ong (Northern Samar), Joseph Victor Ejercito (San Juan City); Juan Edgardo Angara (Aurora), Alfredo Benitez (Negros Occidental), Catalina Bagasina (ALE partylist), Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Ang Bagong Henerasyon partylist) and Arlene Bag-ao (Akbayan).

At least 100 lawmakers co-authored the measure sponsored by the House committee on labor and employment chaired by Ong.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said they are expecting the enactment of the Kasambahay Bill into law within the year.

Estrada, chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resource development, said a bicameral conference committee meeting to reconcile conflicting provisions could be done within the next two weeks following the House approval of its version of the bill.

All household helpers would benefit from the law as their registration would become mandatory, he added.

The House bill sets the age limit for recruitment of household helpers at 15 years and provides an employment contract between the employer and the domestic worker written in a language or dialect understood by both of them.

Among the mandated rights and privileges of household helpers are provisions for board, lodging and medical attendance; guarantee of privacy; access to outside communication and right to education and training.

The House bill prohibits public disclosure by the employer of any communication pertaining to the domestic worker. – With Marvin Sy