The Department of Labor and Employment is pushing for an increase in the minimum salary of domestic workers (kasambahays) to P6,000.
“The P6,000 is a proposal for kasambahays, I think P6,000 is reasonable,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said at the virtual DOLE yearend press conference on Thursday.
He added that the proposal is for all household helpers across the country, adding that their current salary ranging from P2,000 to P3,000 is not enough.
“If employers cannot afford such amount, he/she should do what the helpers are doing. Don’t hire house help for a meager amount of P2,000 to P3,000. That is too low,” Bello said.
Asked if there is a need to amend a law for the proposal to be realized, Bello said there is no need for it “since every year the National Wages and Productivity Commission submits wage adjustment depending on the region”.
“When it comes to the salary of household workers I want them to have the same amount of pay whether they are in Isabela or Mindanao…P6,000 is reasonable. It can send their children to school but P3,000 is way too low,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bello added that they have not received yet complaints regarding violations of the implementation of minimum wage.
“Actually on the issue of minimum wage we have not received any complaint of alleged non-compliance with the minimum wage as mandated by the NWPC in conjunction with the existing labor code,” he said.
CAMP AID
Bello also said 658,886 formal sector workers have benefited from the Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).
“Using regular funds, we were able to benefit 658,886 workers in the private sector with P3.3 billion in assistance under CAMP,” he said.
Under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, Bello said the government was able to provide temporary jobs to 423,511 informal sector workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
“For informal sector workers, we have 423,511 beneficiaries worth P1.59 billion in emergency employment under TUPAD,” he said.
He added that 315,000 displaced overseas Filipino workers have benefited from Abot Kamay Ang Pagtulong program.
“We disbursed P3.5 billion in cash assistance to close to 315,000 OFWs, who were displaced by the pandemic under AKAP,” Bello said.
He also reported that under Bayanihan 2 or Bayanihan to Recover as One, the DOLE will continue to provide cash assistance to the beneficiaries of the programs with an allocation of over P16 billion.
“To continue helping workers affected by the pandemic, we were allocated a sizable amount of 16.4 billion for cash assistance,” Bello said.
Of the amount, he said P4.1 billion will go to CAMP with P300 million as assistance to private educational workers.
“We also have tourism sector workers we were given P3.1 billion and we have another allocation for TUPAD informal sector workers which is P6.2 billion. Under DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program, we allotted P239 million,” he said.
He said P2 billion will be for AKAP and an additional P500 million for emergency repatriation programs of OFWs.*PNA
