Your Maternity Leave Is More Than Just Time Off
OZAMIZ CITY- For employed mothers in Ozamiz, one of the most important protections is the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, which applies to qualified female workers in both the public and private sectors. Republic Act No. 11210 provides 105 days of maternity leave with full pay for live childbirth, regardless of whether delivery is normal or by Caesarean section, with an additional 15 paid days for a qualified solo parent. A mother may also choose to extend her leave for another 30 days, although this additional period is without pay. For miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy, the law provides 60 days of maternity leave with full pay.
Breastfeeding at Work Is a Workplace Right, Too
Returning to work does not automatically mean a breastfeeding mother has to stop expressing breast milk during working hours. Under Republic Act No. 10028, nursing employees are entitled to breastfeeding or milk-expression breaks in addition to their regular meal breaks. The law provides that these intervals, including the time needed to travel to and from the lactation station, are counted as compensable working hours, and the total should not be less than 40 minutes for every eight-hour working period, subject to applicable rules. The National Nutrition Council has likewise emphasized that lactation stations should be private, clean, sanitary, well-ventilated and equipped for mothers to express and store breast milk.
Look Beyond the Leave Form: Check the Workplace Itself
A maternity benefit on paper is only one part of supporting mothers who return to their jobs. In April 2026, the Philippine Information Agency reported that DOH-10 had certified 32 Mother-Baby Friendly workplaces across Northern Mindanao, with 14 located in Misamis Occidental, based on 2025 certification activities. The certification looks at whether workplaces provide breastfeeding facilities and equipment and allow the required lactation break, making it a useful benchmark for employers and employees alike. For working mothers in Ozamiz City, this gives them a practical question to ask their HR office: Where is the lactation station, what is the workplace policy, and how are lactation breaks scheduled?
