Roughly 19,000 “kasambahays” or domestic workers in the Zamboanga Peninsula are set to receive a P500 to P1,000 increase in their minimum wage starting May 20, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday.

Under the new wage order, the monthly minimum wage for domestic workers will increase to P6,000 in chartered cities and first-class municipalities in the Zamboanga Peninsula, including Indanan, Jolo, Parang, Patikul, Siasi, and Talipao in Sulu province.

Meanwhile, domestic workers in the remaining municipalities will receive a monthly minimum wage of P5,500.

An estimated 18,984 domestic workers will benefit from Wage Order No. RIX-DW-06, of whom 13 percent, or 2,491 workers, are under live-in arrangements with their employers.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-IX (RTWPB-IX) conducted public hearings and surveys involving domestic workers across the region before issuing the order on April 16, which was later reviewed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

The RTWPB-IX said it will conduct information campaigns to ensure compliance with the new wage order.

Currently, the minimum wage for domestic workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) is P7,800 per month.