Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

A? eeceiven a
= ore 4 MAR 2018")

TIME:

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. '7400

Introduced by Representative Michelle M. Antonio

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to grant a mental health wellness break to all employees
and students, and integrate mental health awareness in the curriculum of all
schools.

Section 15, Article II of the Constitution provides that “The State shall
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among them.”

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of
well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is
able to make a contribution to his or her community.” Mental health,
therefore, is more than just the presence of psychotic disorder or sickness but,
more importantly, also redounds to a positive condition of ones’ mental well-
being.

In the Philippines, a survey conducted by the Department of Health
showed that among 327 government employees in Metro Manila, 32% were
found to have experienced mental health problems. Among the youth,
depression, anxiety and mood disorders were found to be the most common
(WHO 2004). According to the global school-based student health survey
from January to March 2015 among high school students, 17% of students
aged 13-15 have attempted suicide at least once, 12% said they seriously
considered attempting suicide, and 11% have made plans on how they would
commit suicide.'! The National Center for Mental Health's statistics project
suicide rates of 2.5 for men and 1.7 for women per 100,000 members of the
population. These numbers do not include unreported cases. According to a
2014 report of the World Health Organization, there were 2,558 cases of
suicide due to mental health problems in the Philippines in the year 2012
alone.”

+ http://news.abs-cbn.com /focus/multimedia/infographic/10/12/17/mental-health-of-filipinos
2 http://cnnphilippines.com life /culture/2017/04/25 /mental-iliness-stigma.htm!


Seeing these alarming statistics, it is with utmost urgency that the
government should address the problem of mental health. It is therefore
proposed that all employees and students be given a 3-day mental health
wellness break. All public and private schools must also integrate mental
health awareness in their curriculum. This is to give the employees and
students the opportunity to reassess positively their mental well-being with the
help of professionals.

It is likewise proposed in this bill that employers must offer mental
health wellness activities that employees can attend. All these with the
greatest hope that these employees and students will realize their own abilities
to cope with the normal stresses of life, can work and study productively and
fruitfully and be able to make a good contribution to the community.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is highly and earnestly

recommended.
ee)

ELLE M. ANTONIO



COIranukwNe

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. ‘7400 _

Introduced by Representative Michelle M. Antonio

AN ACT GRANTING MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS BREAK TO
ALL EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS AND INTEGRATING
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS IN THE CURRICULUM OF ALL
SCHOOLS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Mental Health Break and
Awareness Act.”

SEC. 2. Notwithstanding any law, rules and regulations to the contrary,
all 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 for work for three (3) days but continue to earn
compensation therefor.

SEC. 3. Employers, both of the private and public sectors, are
mandated to offer mental health wellness activities to their employees.

SEC. 4. Students in private and public schools shall be entitled to a
mental health wellness break of three (3) days.

This mental health wellness break will be counted as excused absences,
and will in no way prejudice the students’ grades or class standing, subject to
the condition that said break is availed of only during regular class days, and

not on examination days.


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SEC. 5. A mental health awareness lecture or discussion shall be
integrated in the curriculum of all schools and educational institutions,
whether private or public.

SEC. 6. All public and private schools and educational institutions shall
employ at least one (1) in-house certified guidance counselor or allied
professional who is trained as an authorized mental health practitioner who
shall oversee and provide mental health awareness lectures, programs,
activities and counseling services to students.

SEC. 7. Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the
Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Chairperson of the Civil Service
Commission, the Secretary of Education, the Chairperson on Higher
Education and Secretary of Health shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. Any corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association, entity
and school found violating Sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this Act or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder shall be punished by a fine not exceeding
One hundred thousand pesos (P 100,000.00).

If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership,
association, entity and school, 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, and
principal.

SEC. 9. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce any existing
benefits of any form granted under existing laws, decrees, executive orders, or
collective bargaining agreement or policy between the employer and

employee.


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SEC. 10. All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, issuances, or parts
thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 11. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,