How Doubling The Minimum of Annual Paid Leaves Helps Parents Breathe

Here’s what we know about the bill being pushed for companies to give their workers at least ten (10) paid annual leaves

Filipino workers may soon see their annual paid leave doubled from five to ten days, as a bill has been proposed to the House of Representatives by Parañaque City Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan. It aims to amend existing labor standards in a move that could directly impact not just employees, but the families who depend on them. The proposal, currently under legislative review, aims to expand the Service Incentive Leave (SIL) to promote better worker productivity and reduce stress.

Advocates argue that the current five-day leave is no longer enough in today’s reality, where workers are expected to juggle professional demands alongside growing family responsibilities. If passed, the measure could provide much-needed breathing room for parents and young professionals navigating both career and care.

What Paid Leaves Are

Paid leaves, specifically the Service Incentive Leave (SIL), are government-mandated days off that employees can use for rest, illness, emergencies, or personal matters—without losing income.

Under the current Philippine labor law, eligible employees who have rendered at least one year of service are entitled to a minimum of five (5) days of paid leave annually. These leaves can be used flexibly or converted into cash if unused at the end of the year.

For parents, this often means having limited time to:

• Care for a sick child
• Attend to school-related emergencies (e.g. sudden onset of fever, broken bones, sudden school suspension due to weather, etc.)
• Manage sudden household needs

For young professionals caring for elderly parents, these same days are often stretched thin across hospital visits, caregiving duties, and recovery periods.

What’s the Law for the Amount of Paid Leaves?

The proposed measure seeks to amend the existing provision under the Labor Code of the Philippines, increasing the minimum Service Incentive Leave from five days to ten days per year. It would amend the Article 95 Presidential Decree No. 442, one that was signed by the late and former president, Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.

Lawmakers backing the bill emphasize that the expansion is not just a worker benefit—but a social support mechanism. According to proponents, increasing paid leaves can:

• Improve employee well-being
• Reduce burnout and absenteeism
• Strengthen productivity in the long run

Supporters also highlight that the modern Filipino worker is no longer just an employee—but often a parent, a caregiver, or both. The additional leave days are seen as a way to reflect that evolving reality.

Business groups, meanwhile, are expected to weigh in on cost implications, though some policymakers argue that healthier, less stressed employees ultimately benefit employers as well.

Five Additional Leaves Can Make a World of Difference

On paper, an additional five days may seem small. In real life, it means the world of a difference to those who are juggling quite a lot as parents and members of the “sandwich generationSandwich GenerationAdults who care for their growing children while also supporting aging parents, a common situation in Filipino families. The double load calls for shared responsibilities, honest talks with siblings, and.”

For parents, it could mean being present during a child’s illness instead of choosing between care and income. For young professionals supporting aging parents, it could mean one less compromise between work deadlines and medical appointments—for themselves or for their aging parents.

Because all parents can agree: 24 hours sometimes isn’t enough to manage or scrape by at home.

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