Estrada urges wage boards to study salary hike of household helpers outside NCR

Senator-elect Jinggoy Estrada on Friday urged other regional wage boards to study the possibility of increasing the salaries of household helpers in areas outside Metro Manila.

Estrada, who authored Republic Act 10361 or Batas Kasambahay, made the statement after the National Capital Region Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (NCR-TWPB) approved a P1,000 increase in the monthly pay of household workers in Metro Manila amid the rising prices of commodities.

The returning lawmaker lauded the NCR-TWPB for approving the P1,000 hike in domestic workers' salaries, saying this would help in easing the burden brought about by the rising fuel cost and basic goods.

"Malaking tulong ito para matustusan ng ating mga kasambahay ang araw-araw nilang pangangailangan (This would help our household helpers to provide for their daily needs)," he said in a statement.

"Nananawagan din tayo sa iba pang Regional Wage Board na agad na pag-aralan din ang pag-adjust ng sweldo ng mga kasambahay sa nasasakupan nilang rehiyon upang tiyakin na ito ay sapat at makatwiran sa gitna ng sunod-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin," he ended.

(We also call on other Regional Wage Boards to immediately study the possible adjustments of domestic workers' pay in their respective regions so we could assure that their salaries are still sufficient amid the consecutive increases in the prices of basic commodities.)

About 200,000 domestic workers in Metro Manila are expected to benefit from the minimum wage increase.

However, Labor Secretary Silvestro Bello III said the P1,000 increase is still insufficient.

Data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that there are 1,864,065 private household workers nationwide.

This June, the wage increases for domestic workers in various regions became effective. About P500 to P2,500 was added to the minimum wage depending on the region.—AOL, GMA News