Manila – The Institute for Labor Studies paper titled, “Implications of Extending the Maternity Leave Period of Female Employees,” published in 2015 was a material resource in the passage of Republic Act 11210, otherwise known as the “105- Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law,” which was signed into law last February 20.

The research, which was authored by Atty. Stephanie B. Tabladillo-Yanson, provided a detailed analysis of the proposed regulatory measure of extending the period of maternity leave in the Philippines. It also described the measure in the policy and socio-economic contexts and other areas of concern, such as occupational safety and health, productivity, and labor costs.

Atty. Tabladillo-Yanson’s paper highlighted several observations which are reflective of the substantial positive changes that are present in the current law.

The research tackled maternity leave and competitiveness indicators citing ASEAN member states with longer durations of maternity leave, i.e., Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, and Vietnam, which all rank higher in terms of competitiveness in comparison with the Philippines. In the area of Maternity Leave and Human Development Index, member states with longer durations of maternity leave presents higher life expectancy, lower maternal mortality ratios, and lower fertility rates, than member states with shorter durations.

Under the current law, all working mothers whether in the private or public sector are entitled to 105 days of maternity leave, 7 days of which can be transferred to fathers in addition to their existing paternity leave – whereas the old law only provided for a 60 day leave for normal delivery and a 78-day leave for those undergoing a caesarean procedure.

The new law is applicable to any instance of pregnancy, lifting the four-child pregnancy cap regardless of the woman’s civil status. The new law was touted as huge win for women who are members of the labor force, particularly in the areas of workers’ welfare, employment, and social protection.

The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) is the policy research and advocacy arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information on this story, please contact the Advocacy and Publications Division at 527-3490.