Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10182
Introduced by 2nd District of Agusan del Norte Representative 
HON. DALE B. CORVERA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING-FOR A FIVE-DAY SPECIAL EMERGENCY LEA VE FOR ALL 
WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS DIRECTLY 
AFFECTED BY NATURAL CALAMITIES OR DISASTERS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Based on the World Risk Index 2022, the Philippines has been ranked as the. most 
affected country by extreJ?J.e weather events. The World Risk Index is a tool used to assess and 
estimate the disaster risk of a country, using both external and internal hazard factors, including 
cyclones, floods, droughts, sea level rise and societal conditions. Thus, Filipinos, especially 
whose main source of income are wages, are very prone to succumb to the devastating and 
debilitating effects of natural calamities or disasters. 
It is a declared policy under Section 18, Article II of the Constitution that the State 
affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and 
promote their welfare.-· 
This proposed measure aims to provide employees in both the public and the private 
sectors with five-day special emergency leave with pay, to minimize the impact of natural 
calamities and disasters on their income and well-being. It aims to help individuals and families 
whose homes are damaged, flooded, or destroyed by typhoons, earthquakes, storm surges, or 
flooding to immediately cope up and recover. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bi 
e 
n de! Norte 
March 19, 2024
2:37 pm


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10182
Introduced by 2nd District of Agusan del Norte Representative 
HON. DALE B. CORVERA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A FIVE-DAY SPECIAL EMERGENCY LEA VE FOR ALL 
WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS DIRECTLY 
AFFECTED BY NATURAL CALAMITIES OR DISASTERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Calamity Leave Law".
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a declared policy that the State shall protect the 
rights of workers and promote their welfare. In compliance therewith, it is of utmost importance 
that workers and their right to safe and healthful working conditions must always be upheld. 
Towards this end, and consistent with legal instruments that protect and promote the 
rights of the workers, the State shall institutionalize a mechanism to grant special emergency 
leave to employees affected by natural calamities/disasters. Labor, as a primary social 
economic force, shall be given the protection that the exigencies of time and circumstances 
mandate. 
to: 
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following shall refer 
(a) "Calamity" - an event involving mass casualty and/or._major damages to property,
disrupt_ion of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the
affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard;
(b) "Disaster" - a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society
involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and
impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope
using its own resources. Disasters are often described as a result of the combination
of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and
insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative
consequences, Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other
negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-being, together with


damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, Social and economic
disruption and environmental degradation;
(c) "State of Calamity" - a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to
property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and nomal way of life of people
in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of nafural or human-induced
hazard.
Section 4. Applicability. - All rights and benefits granted to employees under this Act
apply to all official, workers, and employees, whether in the public or private sector.
Section 5. Caldmity Leave. -
a. Every employee who has rendered at least six (6) months of service shall be entitled to
annual calamity leave bffive days with pay, prorated on an annual basis, available on
any ofthe grounds specified in Section 8 ofthis Act;
b. This provision shall not apply to those who are already enjoying the benefit herein
provided, regardless of nomenclature; those enjoying similar emergency leave of at
least five days in times of natural calamities or disasters or personal emergencies; and
those employed in establishments regularly employing less than ten (10) employees or
in establishments exempted from granting this benefit by the Secretary of Labor and
Employment after considering the viability of such establishment;
c. The grant of benefit in excess of that provided herein shall not be made a subject of
arbitration or any court or administrative action.
Section 6. Granl of Calamity Leave. - The five-day Calamity Leave with pay shall be
available upon the declaration ofa state of calamity by the President ol the Philippines or by
the Local Sanggunian under Section 16 or Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise knorvn as the
"Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010", affecting either the place
of residence of the employee, the employee's place of work, or the place where the employee
regularly passes through to get to work.
The calamity leave can be applied for five straight working days or on a staggered basis
and shall not be deducted from the employee's leave credits. This leave may be availed ofby
employees during the existence of the state of calamity; Provided, That govemment workers
or employees whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services,
preparedness/response to natural disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital
services and who have reported for work during the existence ofthe state of calamity, shall be
able to avail ofthe calamity leave starting from the lifting ofthe state ofcalamity and until ten
.(10) days thereafter.
Section 7. Purpose of the Calamily Leave. - Any qualified employee may avail of this
special emergency leave on any ofthe following grounds:
(a) Being stranded in affected areas where no means of transportation can ensure safe
travel to and from work;


(b) Disease, illness, or injury incurred by the employee due to the occurrence of the
calamity or disaster;
(c) Caring for immediate family members affected by calamity or disaster; and
(d) Urgent repair and clean-up of the damaged dwelling place.
Section 8. Suspension or Cancellation of Work. - If for any reason, work has been
suspended or cancelled by the head of office, employer or any proper authority, the employce
may not be required to apply for the special emergency leave during such suspension or
cancellation.
Any approved calamity leave covering the day when work has been suspended or
cancelled shall be automatically revoked and shall not be deducted against the employee,s
remaining calamity leaves.
Section 9. ly'oz-cumulative and Non-commutative. - Unused leaves under this Act shall
not be cumulative and may not be converted into its cash equivalent.
Section 10. Non4iminution oJ Benefit. - Benefits granted under this Act shall not in
any manner mean any reduction, diminution, discontinuation, or elimination of other existing
benefiis already enjoyed by workers. Rights already vested before the effectivity of this Act
shall remain to be in full force and effect upon the passage of this Act.
Section 11. Construction in favor of labor. - Al1 doubts in the interpretation and
implementation of the provision ofthis Act shall be resolved in favor oflabor.
Section 12. Implementing Rules ond Regulatuons. - Within ninety (90) days upon the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Labor and Employment, in consultation with other
concemed agencies of the govemment, shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations
implementing the provisions of this Act.
Section 13. .Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section, clause or term ofthis
Act is held to be illegal, invaiid, or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such declaration
shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 14. Repealing Clause. - A1l laws, presidential decrees, issuances, executive
orders, letters ofinstruction, rules, and regulations inconsistent with the provisions ofthis Act
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take eff'ect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,