Bill will give single gov’t employees maternity benefits

Rep. Mark Villar. RODEL ROTONI

MANILA, Philippines—Pregnant single women in the government service deserve maternity benefits, too.

A bill filed in the House of Representatives seeks to correct an apparently discriminatory policy in which all pregnant women, except unmarried mothers-to-be working in government, are entitled to maternity leave benefits.

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar said his House Bill No. 5108 would rectify that policy by giving single women government employees the same benefits accorded all other women.

“All pregnant women are entitled to such benefits, except for one group—unmarried women in government service,” he said.

He said this was perplexing since unmarried pregnant women in the private sector were entitled to maternity leave benefits as mandated by law.

“Under the Constitution, everyone has a right to equal protection of the law. By excluding unmarried women in government service from maternity benefits entitlement, the constitutional rights of these women are being violated,” he said.

He said the state should move to eliminate discriminatory policies against women. “That’s why we want to create equality for women who are equally situated,” Villar said. DJ Yap