The Department of Labor and Employment will hold service caravans across the country in celebration of the Araw ng mga Kasambahay or Day of Household Workers in recognition of their valuable contribution to nation-building.
The agency, through the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns, led the national celebration at the Occupational Safety and Health Center in Quezon City on Jan. 18.
Under the slogan #SerbisyoParaKayK, various services were offered by DOLE and its partner agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Social Security System, PhilHealth, PagIBIG Fund, and the Philippine National Police.
Skills trainings were also offered under the slogan #ParaSaFutureNiK to equip the kasambahay with skills towards alternative employment opportunities.
In a statement, the DOLE said these activities aim to bring various government services closer to the kasambahay and educate them and their employers about their rights and responsibilities under the Batas Kasambahay.
It said ensuring kasambahay’s safety in their place of work is core to its mandate and will be its lasting contribution “sa isang matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay sa Bagong Pilipinas.”
It noted all services and skills training sessions were offered free of charge to participating kasambahay.
Unique to this year’s celebration is the conduct of Araw ng mga Kasambahay serbisyo caravan across the 16 DOLE regional offices, including its different field, provincial, and satellite offices.
Under the slogan #ParaKayKSaBarangay, the DOLE and its partner agencies will provide the same services to kasambahay at the local and barangay levels, and will engage various local government units in the country.
DOLE regional offices are expected to hold the service caravans from Jan. 18 to 31.
The Araw ng mga Kasambahay is held annually every Jan. 18, which is the date of the signing of Republic Act 10361 or the Domestic Workers Act, popularly referred to as Batas Kasambahay, which is a landmark legislation that acknowledged domestic work as similar to those in the formal sector and recognized the invaluable contribution of kasambahay to the economy.
The law likewise strengthened safety nets and protocols to protect the kasambahay in their place of employment. – PNA
