House OKs 100-day maternity leave bill on final reading

Updated (6:35 p.m.)

A bill seeking to increase to 100 days the paid maternity leave for female workers in government and the private sector is now a step closer to becoming a law after the House of Representatives unanimously approved it on third and final reading on Tuesday.

With 191 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstentions, the lower chamber approved House Bill 4113 on final reading.

The bill also grants an option to extend the leave to an additional 30 days without pay, provided that the female worker informs in writing her employer at least 45 days before the end of her ordinary maternity leave.

Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas hailed the “historic” approval of the proposed measure since the bill was first filed 10 years ago.

“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 ten 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 in a statement.

Brosas also said they would push for the upper limit of the maternity leave period (120 days) in the bicameral conference committee, similar to the proposal in Gabriela’s HB 1046 (original maternity leave bill) and in the Senate’s approved version of the measure.

READ: Senate OKs bill raising maternity leave to 120 days

Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, meanwhile, said the passage of the bill at the Lower House is a victory for women workers.

“Naniniwala ang Akbayan na hatid nito hindi lang ang mga benepisyong pangkalusugan para sa mga manggagawang buntis, kundi maging ang proteksyon sa kanilang kapakanan at karapatan bilang manggagawang kababaihan (Akbayan believes that this will provide health benefit pregnant workers and will also protect their rights as women workers),” he said.

The bill was approved on second reading last Aug. 28.

READ: House OKs 100-day maternity leave bill on 2nd reading

Enactment eyed in October

Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, who chairs the committee on women and gender equality, meanwhile expressed hopes that the bill would be signed into law in time for the observance of the National Health Month in October.

“As Chairperson of the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality, I am hopeful the new law on 100 days of paid maternity leave will be signed into law in time for the observance of National Health Month in October,” she said.

The lawmaker added that she expects a “smooth sailing” discussion during the bicameral conference committee meeting on the bill.

“I am sure our colleagues in the Senate also want this new law approved sooner rather than later. October is a good working target. If proceedings move even faster, maybe as early as the last week of September, which is observed as Family Week, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte can sign the bill,” Herrera-Dy added. /ee