BILL SEEKING 15-DAY FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE, FILED BY SEN. BONG REVILLA

Consistent with the Constitutional provision that the Filipino family is the foundation of the nation, and the State's mandate to strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development, Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. filed Senate Bill No. 24 or the "Family and Medical Leave Act of 2022".

The bill seeks to grant 15 days of paid leave every year to employees, regardless of their employment status, whose spouse, parent, unmarried children, are suffering from serious illness. To further come to their aid and rescue, this bill also seeks to grant the same benefit to employees who themselves are suffering from serious illness.

The bill is based on the rationale that during prolonged illnesses or sickness of employees or their family member, more often than not, they would consume their sick leaves, or worse, even their vacation leaves to attend to said exigencies. This sometimes completely exhausts their limited leave credit, and leaves them with no option but to not report to work with the additional burden to their salary. This unfortunate situation forces many families to cope with lesser income. Even worse, they become at risk of losing their jobs.

"Hindi natin masasabi kung kailan magkakasakit ang sinuman sa pamilya natin. Kadalasan ito'y biglaan at hindi inaasahan, kung kaya't binubutas nito ang bulsa at sinasaid ang ipon ng mga Pilipino. Sa ngayon, walang batas na nagbibigay ng leave sa mga empleyado para alagaan ang kaanak nilang may malubhang karamdaman. Kung maisasabatas ang Family and Medical Leave Act, mabibigyan na ng pagkakataon ang mga kababayan natin para alagaan ang kanilang kapamilya ng hindi nag-aalala na mawalan sila ng sweldo at trabaho," Sen. Revilla explained.

To qualify for the benefit, employees need only to have rendered work for at least 12 months, and have an accumulated 1,250 working hours during said period.

"Filipino family ties are among the strongest bonds. We know how much love and care Filipinos have for their families, and the sacrifices they would be willing to do in order to be by the side of their sick family members. We cannot abandon them in their time of need. Instead, we should provide them with succor especially because having a sick family member causes not only emotional stress, but inevitably a dent in their savings."