Mandaue firms to set up breast-feeding stations

Business and Mandaue City officials signed an agreement with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to set up breast-feeding stations in the city’s workplaces yesterday.

The agreement was signed in time for the council’s Nutrition Month observance.

“We signed the agreement so the local government and the business community can establish breast-feeding as a norm,” said NNC Executive Director Maria-Bernardita Flores.

She said they are hopeful that Mandaue City becomes a model of an effective breast-feeding program that the rest of Cebu can emulate.

The agreement requires all Mandaue chamber members to set up breast-feeding stations in their establishments.

Flores said this is in compliance with Republic Act 10028 or the “Expanded Breast-feeding Promotion Act of 2009.”

She said the private lactation rooms should have amenities like electrical outlets for breast pumps and small refrigerators for storing breast milk.

Under the law, employees who are mothers will be granted compensable lactation breaks for expression of breast milk in addition to their regular time-off for meals.

They will also be given access to education materials on lactation management, maternal nutrition and proper nourishment.

The Mandaue City government will help conduct orientations and trainings of personnel of member-establishments of the Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry on lactation management.

Eric Ng Mendoza, Mandaue chamber president, said the policy benefits businesses because it causes less absenteeism among workers, ensures high employee productivity and greater company loyalty due to the establishment’s family-friendly image.

The signing of the agreement held at the SM City Activity Center also had a Breast-feeding Photo Exhibit at SM City Cebu’s ground floor. Correspondent Patricia Andrea Pateña