"The first six months were the most crucial because I was exclusively breastfeeding. My workplace is part of my success story. My co-workers knew why I take some time off to express breastmilk. There was never any unnecessary or unhelpful remark about that special space of my breast milk in the new office refrigerator. Exclusive breastfeeding while working full time can be done!”
Dang Buenaventura-Snyder
Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility Department, Employers Confederation of the Philippines
Taken from Healthy Beginnings for a Better Society, Breastfeeding in the Workplace is Possible: A Toolkit (2015)

Indeed, mothers can continue exclusive breastfeeding or express their milk even at work. A 2018 study by Ocampo-Guirindola et al. among 5131 breastfeeding mothers showed that: “The use of lactation stations was positively associated with longer breastfeeding duration”. This is supported by the Republic Act 10028 also known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, which adopts “rooming-in” during the early days of childbirth and creation of lactation stations and breastfeeding breaks for mothers in the workplace. It was stated in Section 11 of the law that “….all health and non-health facilities, establishments or institutions shall establish lactation stations.”

Lactation stations must include:
1. Lavatory for handwashing or a nearby lavatory
2. Refrigeration or appropriate cooling facilities for storing breastmilk
3. Electrical outlets for breast pumps
4. A small table
5. Comfortable seats

Aside from these, lactation stations must not be located inside the toilet and should not have any form of promotion of infant formula or breastmilk substitutes in alignment with the provisions of EO 51 or the Milk Code. Mothers can either breastfeed or express breastmilk during their breastfeeding breaks. According to Section 12 of the law: “Nursing employees shall be granted break intervals in addition to the regular time-off for meals to breastfeed or express milk”. These break intervals are counted as compensable hours worked. Even though the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) can adjust the compensable hours, all mothers are entitled to a minimum 40 minutes of compensable breastfeeding break in every 8-hour working period. Any private non-health facility, establishment and institution that refuses or fails to comply with the proper requirements for a lactation station or employers who refuse to allow or compensate breastfeeding breaks will be fined Php 50,000 but not more than Php 200,000 on their first offense.

Allowing mothers to express their milk gives them the opportunity to continue exclusive breastfeeding for their infant at home, helps sustain her milk supply and helps relieve the discomfort of full breasts while at work. Through this law and breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, we can help achieve employee satisfaction, improve their productivity not only as essential members of the workforce but also as nurturing mothers.

/AET

References:
International Labour Organization, Country Office for the Philippines (2015). Healthy Beginnings for a Better Society, Breastfeeding in the Workplace is Possible: A Toolkit. Philippines: International Labour Organization.

Ocampo-Guirindola, M. L., & Valdeabella-Maniego, M. L. M. (2018). Utilization of Lactation Station and Lactation Breaks and Its Association With the Duration of Breastfeeding Among Filipino Mothers With Children Aged 0-23 Months. Philippine Journal of Science, 147(2), 317-325.

Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines (2021). Breastfeeding in the Workplace Infographic. Retrieved from https://mbfp.doh.gov.ph/infographics?page=2

Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines (2021). What’s Inside a Lactation Station Infographic. Retrieved from https://mbfp.doh.gov.ph/infographics

Republic of the Philippines. Congress of the Philippines. (2010). RA 10028: Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2010/03/16/republic-act-no-10028/