Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
`.```         6101
HOUSE BILL NO.
RECEiveo
Introduced by Representative Romulo "Kid" Pefia, Jr.
HXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to grant mental health wellness leave to all employees.
Section 15, Article 11 of the Constitution provides that "Zlfee SfcrJe srfecr//
protect  and  promote  the  right  to  health  Of the  people  and  instill  health
consciousness among them."
The World Health Organization defines mental health as "cr sferfe o/we//-
being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with
the normal stresses Of life, can work productively and fruiifully, and is able to
make a contribution to his or her community."   Mental beaMh> tharefore, is
more  than just  the  presence  of psychotic  disorder  or  sickness  but,  more
importantly, also redounds to a positive ccmdition of oiie's mental well-being.
In the Philippines, a survey conducted by the Department of Health @OH)
in 2020 indicated that at least 3 .6 million Filipinos suffer from mental conditions
during the pandemic. Said data also showed that there is an alarming increase in
the  calls  received by  the National  Center  for Mental  Health  QTCMI)  crisis
hotline.  Moreover,  data  from  the  National  Mental  Health  Program  (NMIIP)
account at least  1,145,871  individuals with  depressive  disorder,  874,145  with
alcohol use disorder, 520,614 with bipolar disorder, 349,058 with epilepsy, and
213 , 422 individuals with schizophrenia.
Past data from DOH also include that in 2005, 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). Almost one per 100 households (0.7%) has
a member with mental disability @OH-SWS 2004). As early as 2003 , intentional
self-harm was already found to be the 9th leading cause of death among 20 to 24-


year  old  Filipino  adults  (DOH,  2003).    The  incidence  of  suicide  in  males
increased from 0.20 to 3.59 per 100,000 between 1984 and 2005 while rates rose
from 0.12 to 1.09 per 100,000 in females (Redamiel, Dalida and Gunnell, 2011).
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 in the private and public sectors be given a 5-day
mental health wellness leave.  This is to give the employees the opportunity to
reassess positively their mental well-being with the help of professionals.
It is proposed in this bill that the employers will offer mental health
wellness activities that employees shall attend while on leave.  All these with
the greatest hope that these employees 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.
RIrferfeA,in.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRE SENTATIVE S
Quezon City
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
HoUSEBILliivb.      6101
Introduced by Representative Romulo "Kid" Pefia, Jr.
ANACT
GRANTING MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS LEAVE
To ALL ERmLoyHEs
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 "Me#f¢/ fJecr/ffr I,ecrve
4c£."
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 five (5) days with full pay.
For p:urposes of this  Act, mental  health  wellness  leave  lefels to the
benefit granted to employees of the private and public sectors, allowing the
said employees not to report for work for five (5) days but continue to Cam
compensation therefor, on the condition that the employees will participate in
mental health wellness activities offered by their respective employers.
SEC. 3.   Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the
Secretary of Labor and Employment, the  Chaixpetson  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. 4. Any corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association, and entity
found violating Sections 2, 3  and 4 Of this Act or the rules and regulations
promulgatedthereundershallbepunishedbyafinenotexceedingOnehundred
thousand pesos (P100,000.00).


If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership,
association, and 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,
manaSng director or parther directly responsible therefor.
SEC. 5.  Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce any existing
benefits of any form granted under existing laws, decrees, executive orders, or
collectivebargainingagreementorpolicybetweentheemployerandemployee.
SEC.  6.   All  laws,  ordinances,  rules,  regulations,  issuances,  or parts
thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.
SEC. 7.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Oj7jj}cz.cr/ Gflze#Ze or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,