‘Red flag is up’: House bill grants women 2-day paid menstrual leave

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE Gabriela Party-list on Wednesday filed a bill granting menstrual leave of a maximum of two days per month with 100 percent daily remuneration to all female employees in government and private sectors.

I n filing House Bill 7758 or the Menstrual Leave Act, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said the bill seeks to provide women with the flexibility and support they need to manage their reproductive health without the fear of negative consequences such as losing pay, falling behind in work, or facing disciplinary action.

In the past few years, Brosas said menstrual leave has become a progressive legislation introducing new reproductive rights in many countries worldwide, such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

L ast February 16, 2023, Brosas said Spain became the first European country to provide workers with three days paid menstrual a month with the option of extending it to five days.

home two days a month while they have their menstrual periods.

“ The executive order acknowledges the painful and uncomfortable symptoms of menstruation and recognizes its impact on women’s productivity,” said the lawmaker.

A lso, she added that the local government of Tangalan town in Aklan province also passed the “Menstruation Day Work-FromHome Privilege Ordinance” in December 2022, which entitles female employees of the local government to work in the comfort of their homes for two days during their monthly period.

“As many local government units in the Philippines lead the implementation of such pro-women legislation, the national government must also pass a law to institutionalize menstrual leave with 100 percent daily remuneration to all female employees in the private and public sectors,” Brosas added.

Menstruation-related symptoms (MRS) are diverse and widespread among women, said Brosas.

cal, mental, social, and occupational functioning.

“ Dysmenorrhea is often poorly treated and ignored by health professionals, pain researchers, and even women themselves, who may accept it as a normal part of menstruation,” she added.

H owever, Brosas said the painful and often unbearable symptoms of menstruation create considerable burdens on women and their families, such as over-thecounter medication.

In sum, there is a need to provide women with the flexibility and support they need to manage their reproductive health without the fear of negative consequences, such as losing pay, falling behind in work, or facing disciplinary action,” Brosas added.

Under the bill, menstrual leave granted under the proposal shall be non-cumulative and strictly nonconvertible to cash.

environment.”

We will continue to invest not only in modern equipment and materiel but also in your training, so you can keep abreast of concepts, doctrines, [and] strategies that we now need in the modern battlefield,” Marcos said.

He lauded the invaluable contribution of the PA in preserving the country’s peace and security for over a century. “ Through the years, the Philippine Army has shown patriotism and bravery that allowed our country to succeed and thrive in its pursuit of peace, of stability, and of democracy,” Marcos said.

The entire nation is grateful for the many sacrifices our ground troops have made to ensure our internal security,” he added.

P rior to delivering his speech in the anniversary event, Marcos also viewed the static and kinetic display of the Army’s land assets and equipment and led in the presentation of awards to selected uniformed and civilian personnel of the Army.

T he country is off track in attaining the indicator on material footprint which is increasing as opposed to the goal of decreasing while in hazardous waste, instead of decreasing, the progress is slow.

In terms of reducing domestic material consumption, the country is regressing since there was an increase to 7.8 tons per capita from 7.2 tons per capita.

A nother indicator where the country is regressing is the implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism. The country used to have two but now, there is only one.

While there are impressive national accomplishments across the 17 Goals, none of the countries in the region are on track to reach them and overall achievement is much lower than anticipated for the midpoint,” underscored Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations UnderSecretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.

“ In developed and developing countries alike, persistent data gaps remain. Governments must renew their commitments to producing relevant, timely, granular, high-quality information to monitor and review the march towards the SDGs,” she added.

A n annual flagship publication, in partnership with seven other UN agencies, the Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2023 uses the latest data for global SDG indicators to determine where additional effort is needed in the region and where momentum for future progress is building.

T his year’s report provides further analysis on Covid-19 impacts on sustainable development, the progress in countries with special situations as well as recommendations to bridge data gaps. Cai U. Ordinario

L ast October 18, 2022, Brosas said La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David signed Executive Order 25, which allows female employees of the provincial government to avail of Menstruation Day privilege to work from

By Raadee S. Sausa @raadeeboy

BUREAU of Customs (BOC) operatives have arrested a Turkish national who was allegedly carrying an estimated P28.8 million worth of powder and liquid cocaine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on Tuesday, March 21.

T he physical examination of the suspect’s luggage at the Customs International Arrival Area at Naia was conducted by an assigned Customs examiner, together with an on-duty agent from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and other BOC personnel, while the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) carried out the initial test.

C ustoms Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio immediately re -

He said the call for disciplinary action against Teves, who was implicated in the recent killing of Gov. Roel Degamo and several others, was a “pressing matter that warranted the chamber’s urgent and sound response.”

Under my leadership, the House of Representatives will never ever countenance any conduct unbecoming of a House member,” he said.

C iting Hum Reprod Update, Brosas said between 45 percent and 95 percent of menstruating women suffer from primary dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation.

She said MRS patients are also found to have lower scores in several domains of quality of life during their periods, such as general health, physi- sponded to the situation after receiving the report from CIIS Director Verne Enciso.

A lso, the measure said no employer whether in the public or private sector shall discriminate against the employment of women in order to avoid the benefits provided for in the proposal.

A ny person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or entity found violating the rules and regulations of the bill upon promulgation shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding P100,000 or imprisonment of not less than 30 days or nor more than 6 months.

T his was based on the information received by the Naia-InterAgency Drug Interdiction Task Group (Naia-IADTG) from the Homeland Security. After the Naia-IADTG received the information, immediately we are on the lookout for this person and his luggage. An initial test done on the luggage showed it was positive for the presence of cocaine,” Rubio said.

The information we received and the quick action we took to stop the contraband’s entry led to the capture of the suspect in this case,” the Customs chief added.

T he suspect’s luggage yielded cocaine in powder form weighing more or less 3,945 grams and a

Moreover, the committee report said the Constitution requires that public officials and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.

It said Teves’s request for extension of his travel clearance was not given white thick liquid substance that’s more or less 1,500 ml. due course because of his own doing, as he failed to specify the foreign place/s and the specific period of travel.

T he suspect was identified as Kemal Ozenir, a Turkish national who arrived via Emirates flight EK 332 on Tuesday afternoon from Dubai.

For his part, Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy said authorities are already investigating the suspect.

This particular seizure underscores how brazen individuals have become to try and bring illegal drugs on board flights. And while it also highlights the bigger battle, we have against the dangers of illegal drugs being out there on the streets, it also shows the resolve of our Customs officers in upholding the bureau’s border security mission and deny this smuggling attempt,” he said.

In a video message last Tuesday, Teves denied anew his involvement in the killing of Degamo, saying he is also a “victim” by people with political agenda. He, however, refused to return to the Philippines because of alleged serious threats to his life.