A lawmaker has filed a bill in the House of Representatives seeking to grant monthly compensation to full-time housewives, formally recognizing their unpaid household labor as vital to nation-building.
House Bill No. 3141, or the proposed “Nanay ng Tahanan Act,” introduced by Rep. Nathaniel “Atty. Nat” M. Oducado, would provide ₱1,500 in monthly financial assistance to eligible beneficiaries.
The measure covers housewives whose families fall below the poverty threshold, provided they are not engaged in part-time or home-based paid work. Beneficiaries must also be caring for at least one child aged 12 or younger, or a dependent child with mental incapacity.
The program would be administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in coordination with local government units, using the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) to identify qualified households.
To ensure accountability, the bill sets conditions for assistance: children must be enrolled in public schools with at least 85% attendance, demonstrate responsible behavior, and families must attend quarterly barangay assemblies on responsible citizenship.
Financial support will be reviewed every three years by Congress, in consultation with the DSWD, to reflect inflation and wage adjustments. Funding would come from both the national budget and LGU appropriations.
If enacted, the measure would mark the first time the Philippine government formally compensates full-time housewives, reframing domestic work long regarded as unpaid labor into a recognized contribution to the economy.
Cebu Business News
