Baguio councilor proposes two-day monthly menstrual leave for workers

BAGUIO, Philippines – A Baguio councilor has proposed an ordinance to grant menstrual leave to female employees in the city as a stride towards gender-sensitive workplace policies.

Councilor John Rhey Mananeng, president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation in Baguio, said on Thursday, February 15, that his proposal, if approved, would provide female employees in both government and private sectors, excluding pregnant or menopausal women, with a two-day monthly menstruation leave.

The proposed benefit comes with pay equivalent to at least half of their basic salaries and applies to employees who have completed at least six months of continuous or intermittent service at the time the proposed ordinance takes effect.

Key provisions of the proposed measure include safeguarding the job security of employees availing menstrual leave, prohibiting demotions or terminations as a result of utilizing this benefit. Employers already offering this privilege or its equivalent would be exempt from the ordinance’s coverage.

Mananeng said, “We have filed this ordinance due to the realization that most of our workforce in Baguio comprises young women, hence the necessity to consider the natural conditions of women in the workplace…. Lastly, as representatives of the youth, we aspire to create safe spaces in the city with gender sensitivity and a conducive working environment for all.”

He said a similar policy is already being implemented in some countries in Asia and Europe, and there are at least two pending House bills about it.

To ensure effective implementation, Mananeng said the proposed ordinance, if approved, would require the formulation of implementing rules and regulations (IRR) by Baguio’s mayor, in collaboration with the City Legal Office and his office.

He said he drew inspiration from the 1987 Constitution and the Magna Carta for Women, which provides that it is the state’s obligation to ensure safe working conditions for women and the provision of gender-responsive health services.

Citing research from the National Library of Medicine in the United States, he pointed out the impact of menstruation on women’s workplace performance, indicating the need to grant menstrual leave to recognize and address women’s health issues in the workplace.

The proposed measure has been approved on first reading and was referred to the City Council’s Committee on Social Services, Women, and Urban Poor for review. – Rappler.com