JINGGOY: CONGRESS TO ATTUNE
KASAMBAHAY BILL WITH ILO CONVENTION 189

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada expects that Congress will fine tune the provisions of the proposed Kasambahay Act to make it congruent to the standards propounded by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 189.

Kasambahay Bill is now pending approval before the House of Representatives. On the other hand, the Senate version was passed as early as December 2010.

"The Senate has approved the Kasambahay Bill at a time when the issue of domestic work was gaining ground in the ILO and long before the conference adopted Convention 189. So to ensure that the two measures will not contradict the other and make sure that Kasambahay Act as an enabling law is effective and relevant, I think it is imperative that Congress considers the standards set forth by the newly-ratified Convention," Sen. Estrada, concurrent chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development and Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment, said.

"I think the officials of Department of Labor and Employment are now working closely with some members of Congress in harmonizing their version of the Kasambahay Bill with the ILO Convention," Sen. Estrada shares as he notes the possibility of having two very different versions of the measure.

Sen. Estrada suggests that amendments and revisions to the Kasambahay Bill be taken up and resolved through the bicameral conference committee.

President Aquino ratified ILO Convention 189 or the Convention concerning Domestic Work for Domestic Workers last May 18, 2012. Meanwhile, the Senate is expected to take up the resolution calling for the concurrence in the ratification of ILO Convention 189 upon resumption of its plenary session on July 23.

Sen. Estrada cites that the Senate-approved version of Kasambahay Bill and the existing Labor Code already contain provisions being espoused by Domestic Workers Convention 2011, such as the promotion of human rights of all household helpers and recognition of rights at work, prescription of written contract on terms and conditions of employment, entitlement to benefits similar to ordinary employees (membership to Social Security System, PhilHealth and PAG-IBIG), and prohibition against bonded labor and withholding of wages.

However, ILO Convention features a comprehensive set of social, legal and economic protection and introduced novel stipulations such as provision for compulsory education and opportunities for further education and vocational training, and establishment of accessible complaint and dispute resolution mechanisms, among others.