Kasambahay 13th Month Pay 2026: How Much to Give Your Household Helper

ESTIMATE

Guide and estimates as of 3 November 2026, for information only — not legal or tax advice. Rules: PD 851 and its 1987 Revised Guidelines, DOLE Labor Advisory No. 16, Series of 2025 (issued late November 2025), the ₱90,000 exemption under RA 10963 (TRAIN). The 2026 DOLE advisory had not been published when this was written; the rules have been the same every year.

Yes, your kasambahay is entitled to a 13th month pay. The Batas Kasambahay (RA 10361) grants it to every domestic worker who has served at least one month, computed the same way as for company employees: total basic salary for the year ÷ 12, paid by 24 December. In Metro Manila the minimum monthly wage rose to ₱7,800 on 7 February 2026.

NCR kasambahay minimum wage

Wage order	Monthly minimum (NCR)	Effective
NCR-DW-05	₱7,000	4 January 2025
NCR-DW-06	₱7,800	7 February 2026

Source: RTWPB-NCR; Manila Bulletin (23 Jan 2026). Other regions have their own domestic-worker wage orders — check your RTWPB.

Example: Ate Luz, live-in helper in Pasay

Ate Luz has worked for the Santos family since 2023. In January 2026 she earned the old minimum of ₱7,000; the family raised her to ₱7,800 from 7 February, the day NCR-DW-06 took effect.

Her 2026 wages: January ₱7,000; February split between 6 days at the old rate and 22 at the new (≈ ₱7,628.57); March–December 10 × ₱7,800 = ₱78,000. Total ≈ ₱92,628.57. 13th month: about ₱7,719.05. If the Santoses round it up to ₱7,800 — which many families do — that's perfectly fine; the law sets a minimum.

Full-year amounts, 2026.

Compute it in a minute

Enter the monthly wage and months worked — use 26 working days a month for a live-in helper on a 6-day schedule.

Open the 13th month calculator →

Started or left during the year

Same rule as in companies: one-twelfth of what she earned. A helper who started on 1 August at ₱8,500 earns 5 × ₱8,500 = ₱42,500 by December, so her 13th month is ₱3,541.67. One who goes home to the province for good at the end of May after five months at ₱7,800 (and ₱7,000 in January) should leave with her pro-rated 13th month in hand.

What you can't do

Deduct food or lodging. RA 10361 requires the employer to provide board, lodging and basic medical attendance; their value isn't deducted from the wage, and the 13th month is computed on the cash wage.
Treat a Noche Buena basket or clothes as the 13th month. Gifts are welcome, but the 13th month is cash equal to one-twelfth of the year's wage.
Hold it until she comes back from vacation. The deadline is 24 December, wherever she spends Christmas.
Skip it because she is a relative. A family member who works as a kasambahay is covered.

Who counts as a kasambahay?

General househelp, yaya, cook, gardener, laundry person, or anyone doing domestic work in a household on an occupational basis. Excluded: family drivers, service providers (like a weekly cleaning service), children under foster care, and people who do domestic work only occasionally.

Don't forget SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG

These come from the monthly wage, not the 13th month. If your kasambahay earns less than ₱5,000 a month, the employer pays the full premiums; above that, she pays her share through payroll deductions. None are taken from the 13th month.

FAQ

Is a kasambahay entitled to 13th month pay?

Yes. Section 25 of RA 10361 (the Kasambahay Law) entitles domestic workers who have rendered at least one month of service to 13th month pay.

How much is the 13th month pay of a kasambahay in NCR in 2026?

Around ₱7,719.05 for a full year at the NCR minimum (₱7,000 until 6 February 2026, ₱7,800 from 7 February). At a ₱10,000 monthly wage it is ₱10,000.

Can I deduct food and lodging from the 13th month?

No. RA 10361 requires the employer to provide board, lodging and basic medical attendance, and the 13th month is computed on the cash wage without deductions for them.

Is a family driver covered by the Kasambahay Law?

No. Family drivers are expressly excluded from RA 10361. Many families still give them a 13th month; ask a DOLE office about your specific arrangement.

Does a kasambahay pay tax on the 13th month?

No. The 13th month is within the ₱90,000 exemption, and kasambahay wages at these levels are not subject to income tax.

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Sources

Presidential Decree No. 851 (1975) and the Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the 13th Month Pay Law (1987): one-twelfth of basic salary earned in the calendar year, rank-and-file employees, at least one month of service, pay on or before 24 December.
DOLE Labor Advisory No. 13, Series of 2024 and No. 16, Series of 2025 (reported by PNA/SunStar, 29 Nov 2025): no exemption or deferment, “basic salary” definition and exclusions, compliance report through the DOLE online portal by 15 January.
National Internal Revenue Code Sec. 32(B)(7)(e) as amended by RA 10963 (TRAIN): 13th month pay and other benefits exempt up to ₱90,000 a year; graduated income tax rates in force since 1 January 2023. House Bill 7661 (₱150,000 cap) was still pending in November 2026.
Employee contributions used for tax estimates: SSS 5% of the monthly salary credit (₱5,000–₱35,000), PhilHealth 2.5% (5% shared, ₱10,000–₱100,000), Pag-IBIG ₱200.

Kasambahay 13th month pay (2026)