Over the weekend, former senator Ping Lacson received a lot of heat following his tweet criticizing the proposed menstrual leave bill. Was he in the wrong? It depends on who you ask. Anyway, here’s everything you need to know:

The tweet in question

“Maternity leave, paternity leave, and now, menstrual leave – all with pay. Next time, a legislative measure will be filed mandating menopause and andropause allowances to increase the testosterone levels of workers.”

These were the words of former senator Ping Lacson in his official Twitter account, that’s received a mixed reaction from netizens. It seems Lacson’s statement refers to House Bill 7758 filed by Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas. This new bill seeks to give women a two-day leave monthly with full daily pay across all public and private sectors.

In Brosas’ explanatory note, she said women need flexibility and support for their reproductive health without unfavorable consequences like pay deductions or disciplinary actions.

Netizens balked at Lacson’s remarks 

Although the ex-senator didn’t elaborate on his tweet, many were annoyed by his statement. “No uterus, no comment,” says one netizen. “Ang sarap ng buhay ng mga lalaki. Walang monthly pain and hindi kumakarga ng bata for nine months. Pero ang mga babae, despite experiencing all these, are still highly discriminated lalo na sa workforce. Akala n’yo ‘ata walk in the park ang mga ‘to para sa’min.”

They also stressed how women experience symptoms like migraine, body aches, and dizziness before their monthly period.

Another user pointed out that laws are created on behalf of disadvantaged groups, which Lacson must know as a former legislator. 

It  normalizes something that’s, well, normal

About 80% of women experience period pain. Eve Feinberg, M.D., explains menstrual leave normalizes something that women experience every month. “That’s the biggest pro; it starts the conversation.”

Associate professor of psychology Jessica Barnack-Tavlaris, Ph.D. also backs the concept and adds the policy has the potential to improve the well-being of menstruators, especially those with diseases related to the menstrual cycle. 

Could this backfire?

But, other experts warn that menstrual leave may lead to perceptions that women are not as productive at work. Some may also become targets of invasive questions from others at the workplace that puts them in an uncomfortable position. 

Looking at the countries that practice menstrual leave

It’s important to note that the Philippines isn’t the first country to propose a menstrual leave. In fact, it’s already in practice in some countries. Paid period leaves have existed in Asian countries such as Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea for decades. On the other side of the world, Spain becomes the first European country to exercise such a policy.

Some organizations in the Philippines also have a menstrual leave in practice. Last year, the Provincial Government of La Union passed the Menstruation Privilege for its female employees. 

The bottom line: menstrual leave policies aren’t mandatory

It’s easy for anybody to overlook the importance of policies like period or menstrual leaves if they don’t experience monthly menstruation in the first place. Dysmenorrhea is real; period cramps exist. And the list of discomfort women feel during their period shouldn’t be taken negligently. If House Bill 7758 becomes a law, it’s safe to say you won’t have to take it if you don’t want to — but it’s there for women who need it. As simple as that.

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