CCCI opposes 4-month leave

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry is objecting to Senate Bill 2661 authored by Senator Antonio Trillanes, which seeks to extend to four months or 120 days the maternity leave of employees.

The current benefit is only 60 days or two months.

CCCI President Ma. Teresa Chan said Trillanes’ proposal is too much and may be disadvantageous to the business sector because companies would be compelled to hire new workers to replace those who are on a four-month leave.

Chan contended that should the proposal see the light of day, it is possible that companies would choose not to hire female employees.

“Baka yung ibang companies will not hire women and can you fault them. You cannot fault the employers for not hiring women if that’s the case,” she said.

Trillanes filed the bill based on a UNICEF data, which cites the Philippines’ Mortality Rate wherein 32 Filipino children (per 1,000 live births) die before the age of five. The same data also ranks the Philippines 86th among 190 countries with the highest under-five mortality rate. – Decemay P. Padilla/JMO (FREEMAN)