Lawmakers bat for return-to-work program for women after career breaks

Philippine News Agency

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. Pasay City celebrates National Women’s Day at the city hall open grounds on Sunday (March 8, 2026). Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos and Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) called for the passage of a bill that would institutionalize return-to-work programs for women after childbirth or care-related career breaks. (Photo: PNA/Facebook)

MANILA – As the country commemorates National Women’s Month, Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos and Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos called for the passage of a bill that would institutionalize return-to-work programs for women after childbirth or care-related career breaks.

Bill 6520, or the Women Back-to-Work bill, filed at the House of Representatives, calls for the establishment of a national return-to-work framework and a returnship program to help women who wish to return to work after leaving to give birth or care for their families.

“Even until today, women face challenges in being re-employed after such events because would-be employers see these career gaps as signs of diminished competence or commitment, thus leading to prolonged unemployment and loss of income,” Rep. Ching Bernos said in a statement Tuesday.

The national return-to-work framework shall promote equitable hiring practices for women with employment gaps; support re-skilling and mentorship programs; encourage public and private institutions to open re-entry pathways for women returning to professional work; and include awareness programs to discourage bias against employment gaps.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Civil Service Commission (CSC), and the Philippine Commission on Women, is tasked with creating the framework.

The bill also mandates the DOLE to establish a returnship program to provide structured re-entry opportunities for returning women professionals.

Participating employers may offer six-month to one-year returnships that combine paid employment with mentorship and re-skilling. Participants who complete the programs would receive certification recognizing their updated qualifications and readiness for re-employment.

Employers that implement accredited returnship programs or hire returning women professionals shall also be eligible for incentives, such as tax deductions for training expenses, wage subsidies for returnees, and public recognition as “Return-Friendly Employers.”

The government and private companies with more than 100 employees shall also be encouraged to adopt career gap-neutral hiring policies, ensuring that employment applications and interviews focus on competence and skills rather than penalizing gaps caused by caregiving or maternity leave.

The CSC shall issue guidelines on these policies for the public sector, while DOLE and DTI shall develop model templates and best practices for the private sector.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in partnership with DOLE and accredited training institutions, shall also design re-skilling, digital literacy, and professional certification programs for returning women professionals, which shall be linked with Public Employment Service Offices and industry associations to ensure job placement upon completion.

Rep. JB Bernos expressed hope that their colleagues would tackle and pass the bill as soon as possible.

“We believe that this measure could help our country address discriminative practices against women. Hindi dapat pinarurusahan ang kababaihan dahil sa pagnanais na magtaguyod ng pamilya (Women should not be punished because of their desire to support their families),” he said.