BREAKING NEWS: Expanded Maternity Leave Law Gains Duterte’s Approval

Pres. Duterte Gives Approval to Expanded Maternity Leave Law

EXPANDED MATERNITY LEAVE LAW – Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gave his approval to the proposed expansion of the maternity leave in PH.

Several laws have been signed by Pres. Duterte lately. Aside from the Social Security Act of 2019, the President has also signed a proposal that will benefit the mothers in the field of employment.

Previously, working mothers are entitled to a total of 60 days paid leave for those who gave birth in a natural procedure and 78 days for those who underwent caesarean section.

Expanded Maternity Leave

Based on a report in ABS-CBN News, Pres. Duterte recently gave his approval to the proposed expanded maternity leave law as confirmed by the Malacañang Palace.

According to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdia, the President signed the proposed expansion of the maternity leave in PH on February 20, 2019 making it before the 30-day deadline lapses.

Rodrigo Duterte
Photo Credit: AP/Aaron Favila

Based on the report, the said proposal, now a law, was passed by the Congress and it seeks a guaranteed 105-day paid maternity leave to working mothers of both the private and the public sectors.

Furthermore, the new law also contains that 7 days of the 105 paid maternity leave days can be transferred to the fathers. For the single mothers, they can benefit an additional of 15 days leave.

Based on the report, the expanded maternity leave law recently signed by Pres. Duterte also gives working mothers the option to extend their leave for another 30 days but it will come with no pay.

Reportedly, the new law is applicable to all working mothers.

According to presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, the government is confident that the approval of the new law will not lead to gender discrimination in the field of employment.

“Filipinos are family-oriented. These industrialist businessmen, they will understand,” the presidential spokesman said.

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