" The (Philippines ) Senate today (6th March) approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to grant an additional 60 days of maternity leave to expectant mothers.
Senate Bill No. 1305, or the "Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2017" was approved with 22 affirmative votes, zero negative vote, and zero abstention.
The bill was authored and sponsored by Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality. The bill was also co-authored by Senators Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, Francis Pangilinan, Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay, Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao and Antonio Trillanes IV, with Angara, Legarda and Binay as the bill's co-sponsors.
Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said that the bill was part of the Senate's efforts to protect and promote the welfare of pregnant women: "This bill is the Senate's way of providing greater assistance to Filipina women before, during and after their pregnancies." "By granting more time for a mother to be with her new-born child, we provide the optimal environment for neonatal and maternal health," Hontiveros said in her sponsorship speech.
Under the bill, all female workers regardless of civil status or legitimacy of her child shall be granted 120 days maternity leave with pay and an option to extend for another 30 days without pay. Solo parents shall be granted a total of 150 days maternity leave with pay. "
