TWEENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25
SENATE
;(;9
S. No.
323
Introduced by SENATOR CAMILLE VILLAR
AN ACT
GRANTING MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS LEAVE TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE 
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Under Section 18, Article II, of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the State 
affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers 
and promote their welfare. Whereas, Section 15 of the same Article II provides that 
the State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health 
consciousness among them.
Republic Act No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act provides that the State affirms 
the basic right of all Filipinos to mental health as well as the fundamental rights of 
people who require mental health services. Under the Mental Health Act, the State 
commits itself to promoting the well-being of people by ensuring that: mental health 
is valued, promoted and protected; mental health conditions are treated and 
prevented; timely, affordable, high-quality, and culturally-appropriate mental health 
care is made available to the public; mental health services are free from coercion and 
accountable to the service users; and persons affected by mental health conditions 
are able to exercise the full range of human rights, and participate fully in society and 
at work, free from stigmatization and discrimination.


Moreover, one of the objectives of the Mental Health Act is to develop and 
establish a comprehensive, integrated, effective and efficient national mental health 
care system responsive to the psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial needs of the 
Filipino people.
This bill seeks to supplement the overall State objectives by granting employees 
of the public and private sectors a mental health wellness leaves of three (3) days 
with full pay. It is the hope of this bill to increase labor productivity and efficiency and 
raise awareness of the importance of mental health not only for the individual well­
being of the employees but also to the overall health and well-being of our nation.
Thus, the immediate passage of this measure is sought.
CAMILLE VILLAR


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JUL -9 °5 :09
SENATE
S. No.
323
Introduced by SENATOR CAMILLE VILLAR
AN ACT
GRANTING MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS LEAVE TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS
Be it enacted by die Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Mental Health Wellness 
Leave Act".
Sec 2. Declaration of Policy. - Through constitutional fiat, the State values the 
dignity of every human person and shall protect and promote the right to health of 
the people and instill health consciousness among them. In line with this, the State 
recognizes the psychological dimension of health and shall pursue measures to ensure 
that every Filipino is holistically healthy.
Sec 3. Mental Health Wellness Leave. - Notwithstanding any law, rules, and 
regulations to the contrary, ail employees of the private and public sectors are entitled 
to a mental health wellness leave of three (3) days with full pay.
For purposes of this Act, mental health wellness leave refers to the benefit granted to 
employees of the private and public sectors, allowing the said employees not to report


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for work for three (3) days but continue to earn compensation on the condition that 
the employees will participate in mental health wellness activities offered by their 
respective employers.
Sec 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Chairperson of the 
Civil Service Commission, and the Secretary of Health shall issue the necessary rules 
and regulations for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
Sec 5. Penalties. - Any corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association, and
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entity found violating Section 3 of this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated
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thereunder shall be punished by a fine not exceeding One Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(PhPl00,000.00).
If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership, association, 
or entity, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than thirty (30) days nor more than 
six (6) months in addition to the fine mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be 
imposed on the entity's responsible officers, such as the president, vice-president, 
chief executive officer, general manager, managing director or partner directly 
responsible therefor.
Sec 6. Non-diminution of Benefits. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
reduce existing benefits of any form granted under existing laws, decrees, executive 
orders, or collective bargaining agreement or policy between the employer and 
employee.
Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, issuances, 
or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly.
Sec 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full


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force and effect.
Sec 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,