Hindi lamang ang maternity leave ang nais na habaan ng Kongreso, kundi maging ang paternity leave.
Mula sa kasalukuyang isang linggo, nais ni Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas na gawing 15 araw ang paternity leave o ang leave ng mga tatay kapag nanganak ang kanilang misis.
“Fathers who take paternity leave are more likely to take an active role in child-care tasks, therefore establishing strong relationships with their children and inciting active involvement in their lives,” ani Vargas.
Nauna ng inaprubahan ng Senado ang pagpapalawig ng maternity leave mula 120 araw ay gagawin itong 150 araw.
“The early father-child interaction has long-term benefits for a child’s learning abilities,” dagdag pa ng solon. “Amending the Paternity Leave Act will ensure that every Filipino family reaps all these benefits. Such policies help companies attract the best and the brightest people to their human resource.”
May kapareho ring panukala si Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.
“We have to give fathers at least half a month off work, with full pay, for them to be able to lend ample support to their wives in nursing their newborns, and to help mothers recuperate from childbirth,” ani Pimentel.