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Friday, March 29, 2024

Solon backs 100-day maternity leave

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LEYTE Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez has welcomed the passage of a substitute bill before a panel in the House of Representatives seeking to grant 100-day maternity leave with 30-day extension without pay for working pregnant women in public and private sectors.

Romualdez, a registered nurse who gave birth to her daughter Maddey on Sept. 1, 2015 by Caesarian delivery, lauded the House committee on women and gender equality, chaired by Democratic Independent Workers’ Association party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar,  for approving the measure.

“This is a very important proposal that deserves the support of Congress. This would definitely give ample time for mothers to nurture, take care and breastfeed their newborn for the first 100 days,” said Romualdez in lauding Aglipay-Villar, one of the bill’s principal authors.

The substitute bill, as approved, seeks to increase the maternity leave of a pregnant working mother from 60 days to 100 days.

“I am very supportive of the bill because this will provide better benefits to ordinary working women. It’s really difficult to recover, especially if the delivery is through Caesarian, I can relate to this experience,” said Romualdez, a mother of four and former Binibining Pilipinas International 1996.

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She recalled that her late grandfather, Democrito “Kito” Mendoza, founder of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines who passed away on June 12, 2016 at the age of 93, had been championing the rights of the labor sector.

The Leyte lawmaker said her husband, former House Independent Bloc Leader and ex-Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), and her uncle, TUCP party-list Rep. Democrito Mendoza have been advocating increased maternity leave benefits.

Romualdez said the measure should not be used as an excuse to discriminate women in the workplace.

“We should remain steadfast in fighting discrimination against women, especially our Constitution recognizes the role of women in nation-building and promotes equality for them,” Romualdez explained.

For her part, Aglipay-Villar, wife of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, said her panel approved the committee report for the substitute bill on the exapanded maternity benefits.

“We approved the substitute bill and the committee report to help pregnant women nurture their babies during the first 100 days. On top of the 100 days, an extension of 30 days without pay will be permitted,” Aglipay-Villar said.

Aglipay-Villar also said her proposal will help alleviate the issue of mothers leaving their babies for work.

“Unfortunately, in many cases, the economic pressure for both parents to earn a living forced mothers to work before their newborn are well nurtured,” said Aglipay-Villar.

“Mothers have to go back to work after two months of giving birth and this makes it difficult for them to continue to breastfeed their babies. This forces them to feed their babies using infant formula, which is not best for their babies’ health,” Aglipay-Villar added.

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