Women workers in government and in the private sector who have their menstrual cycles—read this.
Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. is pushing to give a menstruation or period leave for them.
In filing Senate Bill 1545 or the proposed Sanitary Leave Act, Revilla noted it has been scientifically proven that women experienced constipation, abdominal cramps, leg pains and other illnesses during their monthlies.
He also said the premenstrual tension usually would last for 10 to 14 days due to high estrogen.
But until now, there is no law in the Philippines which gives consideration or rest to women experiencing these conditions during their monthly period, according to Revilla.
In his proposed measure, there will be a monthly menstruation leave except for those pregnant or are already in the menopause stage.
The proposed measure also mandates that a woman on menstrual leave should be given 100 percent of her salary.
An employer who will not follow this law shall be fined P100,000 or be jailed one to six months.
It was not clear if counting of the menstrual leave would start from the premenstrual tension for a maximum of two weeks and the period itself, which varies from woman to woman.
Neither was it clear if a medical certificate from the woman’s personal obstetrician-gynecologist would suffice, or the company doctor must certify how many days the woman had her menstrual period that month—for 12 months of the year.
