By Vince Nonato, VERA Files | The Inbox – 21 hours ago
She’s been housekeeper for 23 years, but for the first time this year Gigi Sacare might just be receiving benefits on top of her pay.
Sacare, 35, migrated from Davao to Metro Manila and has been working as a domestic helper since she was 12. Today, May 1, she and thousands of other house helpers will be celebrating their first Labor Day as official members of the country’s workforce.
The recent passage of Republic Act No. 10361, also called Batas Kasambahay or the Domestic Workers Act, has given Sacare and many others the chance to assert their right to better welfare and treatment. The law was signed in January, while its implementing rules and regulations were approved on April 25, expected to be released on May 10.
But even with a law, it may take some time before helpers can enjoy the full benefits as most of them do not have papers, even as basic as a birth certificate. In most cases, employers usually do not ask for proper documentation and do not give out contracts, exposing helpers to maltreatment and abuse.
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