House OKs national holiday for domestic helpers

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading Tuesday a measure that will declare Jan. 18 of every year as a “special non-working holiday” for kasambahays or domestic helpers all over the country. 

Should this date fall on either a Saturday or Sunday, however, House Bill 6285 (Araw ng Kasambahay) will be observed on a Friday, where domestic workers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao can enjoy their celebration. 

“Domestic workers dedicate their efforts to promote the well-being of their employers,” House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, principal author of the bill, said citing the important role of house helpers play in Philippine society. 

The bill tasks the labor secretary, in coordination with the education secretary and director-general of the Philippine Information Agency, to plan and implement activities for the continuing dissemination and information campaign to honor kasambahays.

The Domestic Workers Act (RA 10361) has defined under Section 4 (d) the term kasambahay to “any person engaged in domestic work within an employment relationship such as, but not limited to,” the following:

“General househelp, nursemaid or yaya, cook, gardener, or laundry person, but shall exclude any person who performs domestic work only occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis,” a portion of the law read.

Other authors of the bill are Reps. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas of Pangasinan, Eric Olivarez of Parañaque, Joseph Stephen Paduano of party-list group Abang Lingkod Inc. and Eugene Michael de Vera of party-list group ABS.