DOLE to hold town-hall consultations for Kasambahay Act IRR

The Department of Labor and Employment will hold town-hall-style public consultations in drawing up the implementing rules and regulations of the Kasambahay Act, a new measure that promises to benefit household workers. DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said such meetings will reach out to the grassroots in making the IRR for Republic Act 10361. “We are gathering everybody’s inputs related to the implementing rules and regulations of the Kasambahay Law because we want to be well-balanced; that the rights of both the kasambahay and the employer are being observed and respected. We are expecting that this law will create a harmonious working relationship between them,” Baldoz said “These consultations are held as part of the 90-day period given for the DOLE to come up with an IRR for the Kasambahay Law. Hopefully, by May 10, we can already issue the IRR and have it published in two newspapers of national circulation,” she added. Also, she said the consultations seek raise the level of public knowledge on the provisions of the law. In a memorandum dated March 27, Baldoz directed all DOLE regional directors to conduct the town-hall consultations in their respective areas. This is aside from the ongoing Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (RTIPC) and island-wide multi-stakeholders consultations. Island-wide consultations were organized for April 10 in Visayas and on April 12 in Luzon. Those in Mindanao were completed last March 22. April 19 deadline Baldoz gave the regional offices until April 19 to complete their “town-hall” public consultations. On the other hand, the DOLE also conducted inter-agency meetings with other government agencies such as: