THE House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 4, passed on third and final reading the bill that seeks to extend the maternity leave period to 100 days.
A total of 191 lawmakers voted for the passage of House Bill 4113 or the "100-day Maternity Leave Law" during Tuesday's plenary session. No one voted in the negative.
The expanded maternity leave bill covers all female workers in government and private sectors.
Under the bill, the said leave could be availed by women either before or after their actual delivery either via caesarian section or natural delivery.
The bill also allows women who had a miscarriage to avail of the said leave.
Principal authors of the measure include, among others, Gabriela Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro and Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat.
Brosas, in a statement, congratulated all the Filipino women who will benefit from the bill.
"This is historic as this is the first time that the expanded maternity leave bill hurdles all the stages at the House of Representatives since we first filed the measure 10 years ago. We congratulate various women's groups and partners of Gabriela Women's Party for tirelessly pushing the Lower House to act on the 100-day maternity leave bill," she said.
"Pagkilala ito sa produktibong papel ng kababaihan sa ekonomiya at pagtataguyod ng kanilang karapatan sa maternal health na laman ng Konstitusyon," she added.
Brosas said Gabriela will push for the adjustment of the number of leaves from 100 days to 120 days, similar to what is contained in Gabriela's original bill and the Senate's approved version of the measure.
According to Gabriela, around 15 million female workers in the government and private sector will benefit from the measure, noting however that the availment of the maternity benefits is voluntary and not mandatory. (VoxPop Philippines)
