House bill seeks paternity leave extension
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MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo wants to extend to a month the weeklong paternity leave and include unmarried working fathers living in with the mother among the beneficiaries.
Rillo’s House Bill No. 4430 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8187, or the Paternity Leave Law of 1996, which will increase the fully paid paternity leave benefit of every working father — regardless of employment status — to 30 days so that he can effectively support the mother and their newborn during childbirth.
The proposed measure will also apply to unmarried working fathers living in with the mothers, provided there is no legal impediment for them to wed. HB 4430 seeks to remove “married” from the provision and replace “legitimate spouse” with “his partner.”
