EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
S. No. 584
•19 
JIJL 17 P5 52
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
REC£.
AN ACT
GRANTING BEREAVEMENT LEAVE OF TEN (1 0 ) DAYS W ITH  FULL PAY TO 
ALL EMPLOYEES IN  THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Explanatory Note
The loss of a family member is devastating. It carries an immeasurably heavy 
emotional and physical toll upon the bereaved. During this period, the mourner 
becomes crippled emotionally and drained mentally for days, unable to function 
normally. In some cases, it takes years to fully recover from such a loss.
Unfortunately, the demands of work and everyday life do not give mourners 
adequate time to cope with their loss. Companies have the discretion on whether or 
not to provide a bereavement leave. Some of them will provide 3 to 5 days of leave- 
a terribly insufficient length of time to attend to the details of a wake and burial, 
much less to properly mourn a loss. More often, the time taken to mourn a loss is 
simply deducted from the leave benefits provided by a company, usually with a 
corresponding salary deduction.
This bill proposes a simple remedy- the provision of a mandatory 10 day 
bereavement leave with pay to support employees in the public and private sectors 
who have recently lost an immediate family member. This bill also provides security 
of tenure and the non-diminution of benefits to those who avail said leave.
Thus, the speedy approval of this measure is eagerly sought.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
S E N  
S. No.
Senate
® Q ttf of ttjr fe p crfta rp
‘19 
JUL 17 P5 52
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
GRANTING BEREAVEMENT LEAVE OF TEN (1 0 ) DAYS W ITH  FULL PAY TO 
ALL EMPLOYEES IN  THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Tide. -  This Act shall be known as the 'Bereavement Leave
2 
Act of 2019".
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f State Policy. -  The State affirms that the Filipino family
4 
is the foundation of the nation and recognizes that the death of an immediate family
5 
member bears a significant emotional and psychological burden upon a family
6 
member. A bereavement leave benefit system is hereby institutionalized to support
7 
employees in the public and private sectors who have recently lost relatives
8 
belonging to their immediate family.
9 
Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. -
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a. Bereavement Leave - refers to a leave taken by an employee to grieve
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the death, or attend or to make arrangements for the funeral, of an
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immediate family member.
13 
b. Immediate Family Member - refers to an employee's spouse, parent or
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child, brother or sister, and relatives within the third degree of
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consanguinity or affinity.
16 
Sec. 4. Bereavement Leave for Immediate Family Members. -  Employees in
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the private and public sectors shall be entitled to a bereavement leave of ten (10)
18 
days with full pay following the death of an employee's immediate family member.


1 
Sec. 5. Non-diminution o f Benefits. -  Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
2 
reduce existing benefits granted under existing laws, decrees, executive orders, or
3 
any contract, agreement, or policy between the employer and employee.
4 
Sec. 6. Security o f Tenure. -  Employees in the public and private sectors who
5 
avail of bereavement leave provided under this Act shall be assured of security of
6 
tenure. Availment of the leave shall not be used as reason for misconduct, demotion,
7 
or termination in employment, or for any form of unsatisfactory performance.
8 
Sec. 7. Penaities. -  Any person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership,
9 
association, or entity found violating this act or the rules and regulations
10 
promulgated thereunder shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Twenty-thousand
11 
pesos (Php 20,000) or imprisonment of fifteen (15) days to one (1) month.
12 
If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership,
13 
association or any other entity, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed on the
14 
entity's responsible officers, including but not limited to, the president, vice
15 
president, chief executive officer general manager, managing director or partner
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directly responsible therefor.
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Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  The Department of Labor and
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Employment (DOLE) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC), for the private sector
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and public sector respectively, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations of this
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act within thirty (30) days of its effectivity.
21 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. -  If, for any reason, any part, section or provision
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of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected
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thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
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Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, orders, rules, regulations and
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other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
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are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Republic Act No. 1161, as amended, is
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further amended accordingly.
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Sec. 11. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,