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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. 11481
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ERWIN T. TULFO,  
EDVIC G. YAP, ERIC GO YAP AND RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE PROVISION OF PRAYER BREAKS AND DESIGNATED 
PRAYER SPACES FOR MUSLIM EMPLOYEES IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
SECTORS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Constitution guarantees religious freedom, emphasizing the need for 
workplaces to respect and accommodate diverse religious practices. Muslim 
employees, who observe five (5) daily prayers, often face challenges in fulfilling their 
religious obligations due to the absence of designated prayer breaks and spaces. This 
limitation can result in undue hardship and restrict religious expression, impacting 
their well-being and productivity.  
The proposed "Muslim Workers’ Prayer Accommodation Act" seeks to address this 
concern by mandating employers to grant reasonable prayer breaks, provide a clean 
and quiet prayer space with basic amenities, and establish flexible scheduling 
arrangements in consultation with Muslim employees. By fostering religious 
inclusivity and aligning with international labor standards, this Act promotes 
workplace harmony, upholds constitutional rights, and reinforces the nation’s 
commitment to diversity and respect for religious practices. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
  ERWIN T. TULFO
    EDVIC G. YAP
      ERIC GO YAP 
            RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO   
March 24, 2025
10:03 am


 
 
 
 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. 11481
 
 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ERWIN T. TULFO,  
EDVIC G. YAP, ERIC GO YAP AND RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO 
 
 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE PROVISION OF PRAYER BREAKS AND DESIGNATED 
PRAYER SPACES FOR MUSLIM EMPLOYEES IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
SECTORS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
 
SECTION 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Muslim Workers’ Prayer 
Accommodation Act.” 
 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to uphold and protect the freedom of religion as guaranteed by the Constitution. 
The State recognizes the significant contributions of Muslim Filipinos to national 
development and aims to ensure that their religious practices are accommodated in 
the workplace, fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect for religious diversity. 
 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following 
terms shall be defined as follows: 
 
(a) Muslim Employee – Refers to any person of the Islamic faith who is 
employed in the public or private sector, regardless of position or rank; 
(b) Prayer Break – Refers to a period of time, not exceeding twenty (20) minutes 
per break, granted to Muslim employees for the purpose of performing their 
obligatory prayers (Salah); 
(c) Designated Prayer Space – Refers to a clean and suitable area within the 
workplace provided by the employer for Muslim employees to perform their prayers; 
(d) Employer – Refers to any person, natural or juridical, employing the 
services of a Muslim employee, including government agencies, instrumentalities, 
and government-owned or controlled corporations. 
 
 
 


 
 
SECTION 4. Entitlement to Prayer Breaks. – Muslim employees shall be 
entitled to prayer breaks during their regular work shifts to accommodate the five (5) 
obligatory prayers: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. These breaks shall be 
separate and distinct from regular meal breaks provided by the employer. 
 
SECTION 5. Scheduling of Prayer Breaks. – The scheduling of prayer breaks 
shall be subject to the following guidelines: 
 
(a) The timing of Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha prayers shall be 
determined based on the Islamic prayer timetable applicable to the workplace's 
location; 
(b) Employers shall consult with their Muslim employees to establish a flexible 
schedule for prayer breaks that minimizes disruption to work operations; 
(c) In cases where the nature of work does not permit simultaneous prayer 
breaks, employers may stagger the breaks to ensure continuity of operations; 
(d) Employees shall make reasonable efforts to return to their workstations 
promptly after completing their prayers; 
(e) The entitlement to prayer breaks shall apply to Muslim employees working 
non-traditional hours, including night shifts or flexible schedules. 
  
Employers shall provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that prayer 
breaks remain accessible for employees outside the standard eight-hour workday. 
 
SECTION 6. Provision of Designated Prayer Spaces. – Employers shall 
provide a designated prayer space for Muslim employees, which shall meet the 
following requirements: 
 
(a) The space shall be clean, quiet, and adequately ventilated. 
(b) The space shall be of sufficient size to accommodate the number of Muslim 
employees requiring its use. 
(c) The space shall be oriented towards the Qibla (direction of Mecca). 
(d) The space shall be equipped with basic amenities such as clean water for 
ablution (Wudu), prayer mats, and a clock indicating prayer times. 
(e) In situations where space is extremely limited, the employer must make a 
reasonable effort to provide an area, even if not a dedicated room, that allows Muslim 
employees to perform their prayers with privacy and cleanliness. 
 
SECTION 7. Compliance and Enforcement. –  
 
(a) Employers shall comply with this Act and ensure that prayer breaks and 
designated prayer spaces are provided in good faith and without discrimination; 
(b) The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Civil Service 
Commission (CSC), in consultation with the National Commission on Muslim 
Filipinos (NCMF), shall oversee the implementation of this Act and handle complaints 
related to non-compliance; 
(c) Employers found to be in violation of this Act shall be subject to penalties as 
prescribed in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to be issued by DOLE, 
CSC, and NCMF. 


 
 
 
SECTION 8. Exemptions and Special Considerations. –  
 
(a) Employers in industries where continuous operations are necessary, such as 
emergency services, healthcare, and security, may implement reasonable 
accommodations instead of standard prayer breaks to ensure the safety and efficiency 
of their operations; 
(b) Employers with limited physical space shall make reasonable efforts to provide 
alternative accommodations for prayer; 
(c) The provisions of this Act shall not infringe upon the rights of non-Muslim 
employees. Employers shall ensure that prayer breaks do not unfairly burden other 
employees or disrupt overall work productivity. 
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of Labor 
and Employment (DOLE), the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and the National 
Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall promulgate the necessary 
implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this 
Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in 
full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, and rules 
and regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,