GOOD news for women! The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is implementing the Expanded Maternity Leave Benefit in the private sector to comply with Republic Act (RA) 11210 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
RA 11210 is “An Act Increasing the Maternity Leave Period to 105 Days for Female Workers With an Option to Extend for an Additional 30 Days Without Pay, and Granting an Additional 15 Days for Solo Mothers, and for Other Purposes”.
RA 11210 was signed into law on Feb. 20, 2019 and became effective on March 11, 2019.
The IRR was signed on May 1, 2019 and published in the national newspaper on May 3, 2019.
The fundamental bases of the law are Article XIII, Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution; Article II, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution; and Sections 17 and 22 of RA 9710 or The Magna Carta of Women.
The law recognizes a woman’s maternal function as a social responsibility and as such, government is institutionalizing a mechanism to expand the maternity leave period of women workers before they resume paid work. This mechanism will provide female workers with ample transition to regain health and overall wellness and assume maternal roles. I say, not only for maternal roles, but as well as professional roles.
Coverage of the new law include female workers in the public sector, private sector, informal economy, voluntary contributors of SSS, and national athletes. For female workers in the private sector, this covers domestic worker, one who provides services for an employer (in which either both mental or physical efforts are used), receives compensation for such service, and there is an employer-employee relationship. So women, please take note of the benefits you can avail of.
The following are the identified benefits under the Expanded Maternity Leave: Paid leave with full pay for the duration of: a) 105 days for live childbirth, 60 days for miscarriage and emergency termination of pregnancy; Additional 15 days if female worker qualifies as a solo parent under RA 8972; b) Option to extend for an additional 30 days without pay in case of live childbirth; c) Option to allocate up to 7 days of said benefits to: i) child’s father, whether or not the same is married to the female worker; ii) Alternative caregiver: a) Relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity, or b) Current partner; d) Health care services for pre-natal, delivery, postpartum, and pregnancy-related conditions.
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All roads lead to General Santos City as the city hosts the 21st National Tuna Congress. Congress Secretariat, SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), is now on the final phase of preparations to ensure the successful hosting and holding of the event come Sept. 4-6, 2019. It may be recalled that all of the past 20 National Tuna Congresses were held in the City, the acknowledged “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”, and rightly so.
The coffee table book, Tuna: At the Heart of General Santos, published by SFFAII in 2018, is the first book that captures the history and development of the fishing industry in General Santos City. It is filled with photos and captions that truly illustrate the daily activities at the General Santos Fish Port; the development of the canning industry; history of the fishing industry; handline fishing; among others. Copies of the coffee table book are still available. You can email me should you desire to obtain a copy.
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My mom’s siblings came over to visit us. We were supposed to tour them around. Unfortunately, a family member contracted dengue and we had to confine in the hospital. So instead of us driving them around, they were the ones visiting us in the hospital. Even then, we were happy that we had guests while we were confined. It’s good for morale; a strong support system. Many thanks to Ate Sally Lungay Villarma, Tita Dayrose Lungay also known as Sour Irene Lungay, and Uncle Boy Lungay. Sour Irene Lungay belongs to the Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca based in Rome, Italy. She’s on home visit this year. Tita Dayrose comes home only every four years.
I also want to thank those who responded when we called for blood donors. Not everyone was able to donate since the patient’s blood platelet already rose, but still our heartfelt appreciation for your kind gesture. I will mention you in my succeeding columns.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Don’t let fools or mosquitoes suck your blood, put it to good use. Donate blood and save a life. – Brilliant Read
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For comments, you may reach the writer at belca.87@gmail.com./PN
