Cordillera board okays minimum wage for ‘yayas’

BAGUIO CITY – A new order prescribing new minimum wage rates for domestic workers in the Cordillera was approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board. 

Taking in effect 15 days after the order’s publication, Wage Order No. CAR-DW-02 declares minimum wage for domestic workers shall not be less than P3,000 a month in cities and first-class municipalities and P2,500 in other municipalities in the region.

The wage order shall apply to all domestic workers, whether on a live-in or live-out arrangement, such as but not limited to general househelp; yaya; cook; gardener; laundry person; or any person who regularly performs domestic work in one household on an occupational basis.

Service providers, family drivers, children under foster family arrangement and any other person who performs work occasionally or sporadically and not on a occupational basis are not covered by the order 

Regional wage board secretary Augusto Aquillo said that, based on the wage order, the wages of domestic workers shall be paid in cash at least once a month and no deductions on the wages of the domestic workers shall be made other than those mandated by law.

In the case of hiring or contracting of domestic workers services through a licensed private employment agencies, the order stated the wage rates prescribed shall be borne by the principals or clients of the agencies and the contract shall be deemed amended accordingly.

The agencies will, however, be held liable if their clients fail to pay the new rates.

Employers are also required to provide the basic necessities of domestic workers, including three adequate meals a day and safe and humane sleeping arrangements. Employers cannot withhold these as punishment or disciplinary action.

Aquillo said withholding and interfering in the disposal of wages of the domestic workers are unlawful and are punishable with a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P40,000.

 These are without prejudice to the filing of civil or criminal cases.