TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be monitoring the implementation of the new wage hike for the region’s house helpers or kasambahays as the new monthly wage for them took effect on January 1 of this year.
From the previous P2,000, all the house helpers in the region are to receive P4,500 for those working in the cities and first class municipalities and P4,000 for those working in second to sixth class towns as contained under Wage Order Number 2 approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board(RTWPB-8) on November 25,2019.
Norma Rae Costimiano, DOLE regional information officer, said that their office will be monitoring on the compliance of employers on the new monthly wage for their house helpers, reminding them that failure to do so has corresponding penalty.
“We would like to remind all the employers to really comply with the new wage order.Non-compliant employers will be made to pay to their workers what’s due to them,” she said.
Costimiano said that house helpers who have a complaint could just visit their office and to formally file their complaint against their employers for not following the new wage adjustment.
“Our workers can anytime visit our office to report any con-compliance with said labor standards. These rules are prescribed by law and our workers deserve it,” she said.
She, however, stressed that due process will be observed during their interventions with the employers who will fail to comply the new wage order for their kasambahays.
Analyn,26, kasambahay for three years now, was surprised when she learned that there is a new monthly rate for them and has taken effect beginning this month.
“Really? I am not aware that we kasambahays are to receive a higher monthly pay this year. What I am receiving is the same amount since I started my work with my employers,”Analyn, who declined not to give her family name, said.
The house help, who do all house hold chores, receives P2,500 per month.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
