Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILLNO. 518

Introduced by HONORABLE RAMON JOLO B, REVILLA III

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to afford every female employee in both the private and public sectors a
one (1) day Sanitary Leave with one hundred percent (100%) remuneration.

Due to high levels of estrogen, women experience symptoms of premenstrual tension,
and such symptoms last between ten to fourteen days before menses. Such symptoms include
constipation, abdominal cramps, aching legs, and even severe pain

Despite these symptoms, there is no law in the Philippines that addresses the need of
female employees to rest from work due to premenstrual or menstrual tension

Section 14, Article XII of the Constitution provides that “the State shall protect working
women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into account their maternal
functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to
realize their full potential in the service of the nation.”

In this view, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought

RAMON sofept evita iy


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL-NO. 5 1 8

Introduced by HONORABLE RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA HIE

AN ACT
GRANTING SANITARY LEAVE OF ONE (1) DAY A MONTH WITH ONE HUNDRED
PERCENT DAILY REMUNERATION TO ALL FEMALE EMPLOYEES.

Be it enacted by the Senate und House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

SECTION IL. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Sanitary Leave Act.”

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. — For Purposes of this Act, the following items shall

have the following meaning

a, Employee — any person who performs services for an employer in which
physical and/or mental efforts are exerted and in exchange receives

compensation for such services in an employer-employee relationship.

o

Employer — any person, natural or juridical, who carries in the Philippines any
business, undertaking, or activity of any kind, and uses the services of another
person who is under his employment, or the national government, its political
subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities, including government owned and
controlled corporations and financial institutions, the constitutional
commissions, and the judiciary

Menstrual Tensions — a state of physical and/or mental uneasiness relating to

the period of menstruation.

e

Menstruation ~ the process of a woman discharging of blood and other
materials from the lining of the uterus that recurs at a monthly interval and
lasts three (3) to five (5) days.

Menstruation Leave ~ refers to the benefit granted to a female employee,

ra

allowing her not to report to work for one (1) day every month due to


premenstrual or menstrual tension but still earn one hundred percent (100%)
of her compensation
f. Premenstrual Tension ~ a state of physical and/or mental uneasiness relating to

the period of menstruation

SECTION 3. Every female employee, except pregnant and menopausal women, in the
private and public sectors, regardless of the nature of their employment, shall be entitled to a

menstruation leave, notwithstanding any law, rules, and regulations to the contrary.

SECTION 4. Employers already providing a Sanitary Leave or its equivalent shall not be

covered by this Act

SECTION 5, The Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Chairman of the Civil
Service Commission, and the Secretary of Health shail, within thirty (30) days from the
effectivity of this Act, issue such rules and regulations necessary for the proper implementation

of the provisions hereof.

SECTION 6. Any person, corporation, partnership, association, or any type of similar
entity found to be in violation of this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or
imprisonment of not less than thirty (30) days but not exceeding six (6) months.

If the violation is committed by a corporation, partnership, association, or any type of
similar entity, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed upon the entity’s responsible
officers, including but not limited to, the president, chief executive officer, general manager,

managing director, or partner directly responsible therefor

SECTION 7. Non-Dominution Clause. ~ Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce
any existing benefit granted under existing laws, executive orders, contract, agreement, or policy

between the employer and the employee

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force

and effect.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders or issuances, or any parts

thereof which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.


SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its

publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,