Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
 First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________ 
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO  
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a world where everything is fast paced, it can sometimes be hard to keep 
up. Pressure coming from the workplace, family, society, personal life, and even 
social media keep on piling up. Thus, it is not surprising that the mental health 
and wellness of working Filipinos is steadily declining. 
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the number of individuals 
in the Philippines with major depressive disorder is already at 17 million.1 
Meanwhile, the incidence of suicide increased both in males and females. The 
rise of mental health disorders is even exacerbated by either the lack of access 
to professional help or the stigma that still exists in society against those who 
seek help for their mental health issues. 
Hence, in order to address the needs of the modem workforce for better 
mental health initiatives, this bill aims to provide employees in the private sector 
five days per year which they can use to go to a mental health professional for 
consultation, to receive therapy from a mental health practitioner, or even just 
to take a break from the stressors of daily life. This bill likewise mandates 
employers to offer and implement programs to ensure their employees' mental 
well-being. It is hoped that through this legislation we can contribute in raising 
better mental health awareness and in creating more accepting work spaces 
where every person can thrive mentally and emotionally. 
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS 
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Partylist 
July 13, 2022
4:43 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
 First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________ 
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO  
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos 
AN ACT 
GRANTING MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS LEAVE TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN 
THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Mental Health Leave 
Act." 
SECTION 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. In line with this, the State recognizes the
psychological dimension of health and shall pursue measures to ensure that 
every citizen is holistically healthy. 
SECTION 3. Mental Health Wellness Leave. - Notwithstanding any law, rules, and 
regulations to the contrary, all employees of the private sector are entitled to mental 
health wellness leaves. Each employee shall be entitled to five (5) leave days with full 
pay per annum; provided that such leaves if unused shall not be carried over to the next 
year; provided further that such leaves cannot be monetized at the end of the year if 
unused by the employee. Employers shall accordingly offer and implement programs to 
raise awareness on mental health and to ensure their employees' mental wellbeing. 
SECTION 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Labor and Employment and the Secretary 
of Health shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation 
of the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 5. Penalties. - Any employer, whether they are a corporation, 
trust, firm, partnership, association, entity, or person, found violating this Act shall be 
punished by a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (Pl00,000.00). 
If the violation is committed by a juridical person, the penalty of 
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imprisonment of not less than thirty (30) days nor more than six (6) months in addition 
to the fine mentioned shall be imposed on the entity's responsible officers. 
 
 
SECTION 6. Non-diminution of Benefits. - Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to reduce any current benefits of any form granted under existing laws, 
decrees, executive orders, collective bargaining agreements, or contract between the 
employer and the employee. 
 
 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and 
proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act, are 
hereby amended or modified accordingly. 
 
 
SECTION 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 
force and effect. 
 
 
SECTION 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,