Senator Camille Villar has filed a bill seeking to grant mental wellness leave to both public and private sector employees, reinforcing the State’s commitment to prioritizing mental health for all Filipinos.

Under Villar’s proposed measure, workers would be entitled to three days of fully paid mental health wellness leave annually.

This initiative is part of Villar’s second batch of proposed priority bills that she is advocating in the 20th Congress.

"One of the objectives of the Mental Health Act is to develop and establish a comprehensive, integrated, effective, and efficient national mental health care system responsive to the psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial needs of the Filipino people," Villar stated in the explanatory note of the bill.

In a parallel move, Villar also filed a bill titled “An Act Expanding PhilHealth Coverage to Include Benefit Package to All Mental Health Disorders and Other Purposes,” which seeks to broaden the state insurer’s coverage to encompass various mental health conditions.

In addition to her mental health initiatives, the senator also filed several other bills aimed at supporting various sectors of society, such as the Journalist Protection Bill, which provides mandatory insurance, hazard pay, and other benefits for field journalists, including freelancers; the Flexible Work for Mothers Act, which enables pregnant and postnatal mothers to avail of flexible work arrangements; and the Basic Life Skills in Schools Act, which introduces life skills education into the high school curriculum.

Villar also pushes for the creation of the E-Books for the Barangay Program, which aims to provide digital learning tools at the grassroots level.

She also advocates for the grant of 13th-month pay to government contractual and job order personnel.

Villar filed the Maternity Support for Low-Income Women Act, which mandates maternity packages for pregnant women from low-income sectors; the Inclusive Tourism Act, ensuring that tourism sites are accessible to persons with disabilities and senior citizens; and the Fresh Grad Cash Grant Act, which gives a one-time P5,000 grant to new graduates to assist with job application and early employment expenses.

Last week, Villar also filed several bills focused on the protection and welfare of women and children.

Villar is pushing for the enhancement of health access, education, labor protection, and social inclusivity across the country.