House panel approves 100-day maternity leave

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on women and gender equality has endorsed a bill seeking to increase the maternity leave period to 100 days with pay for plenary approval.

The proposed measure includes an option to extend the 100-day maternity leave period to an additional 30 days without pay.

The current allowable maternity leave period for female workers in the government service and private sector is 60 to 78 days.

"The bill reached second reading in the House and a version from the Senate was passed and transmitted for concurrence during the 16th Congress," House committee chairperson Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said.

House Bill 4113 or the "100-Day Maternity Leave Law is a substitute measure for 15 bills. It aims to protect the maternal health and postnatal health care of female employees as well as the welfare of the child.

Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

The proposed measure also assures the security of tenure to female workers and grants the same coverage to female workers in both the government and private sector.

"Another provision states that a female SSS member who has paid at least three monthly contributions in the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage shall be paid her daily maternity benefit which shall be computed based on the average monthly salary credit, for 100 days, regardless if the delivery was normal or caesarian and subject to conditions as provided in the bill," a press statement said.

Female workers availing of the maternity leave must receive not less than two-thirds of their regular monthly wages.

The bill designates the Civil Service Commission and the SSS to immediately conduct a review of maternity leave benefits of women employees. — Patricia Lourdes Viray