Paternity Leave in the Philippines: Rights, Benefits, and Due Process

Becoming a dad is a big life change; it brings excitement and a lot of new responsibilities. The Philippines law recognizes how important fathers are during this time and provides paternity leave to help dads support their partners and spend time with their newborns. 

When you understand your paternity leave rights, the benefits you can claim, and the steps to apply, it becomes much easier for you and HR to process your paternity leave.

Republic Act No. 8187, also known as the Paternity Leave Act of 1996, gives married male employees in both private and public sectors seven working days of paid leave. This time lets fathers support their wives after childbirth or miscarriage. The law covers the first four deliveries with the spouse the employee is living with.

The Expanded Maternity Leave Law (Republic Act No. 11210) adds an option for mothers to share up to seven of their 105 maternity leave days with the child’s father, even if they aren’t married. This means fathers could get up to 14 days of paid leave when combining both laws.

Some companies offer more than the legal minimum. Firms like Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Accenture, and Nestlé provide extended paternity leave to help fathers be more present during this special time.

To qualify under RA 8187, the dad needs to be legally married and living with the mother when the baby is born or if there’s a miscarriage. The law applies to all married male employees, whether they are regular, probationary, contractual, or project-based. The leave covers the first four deliveries only.

For the extra seven days from the mother’s maternity leave, marital status doesn’t matter. Unmarried fathers can get these days if the mother is an SSS member and decides to give her leave days to the father. This makes parental leave more inclusive.

Paternity leave isn’t just for live births. Under Republic Act 8187, “delivery” also includes cases of miscarriage. This part of the law acknowledges how difficult this experience can be for both parents. It gives fathers time to support their partner and take time to grieve and recover.

For adoptive parents, the law mainly refers to biological deliveries, but other rules help cover adoption, too. The Civil Service Commission allows government employees who adopt to take leave. This includes the male spouse, who can take seven days of leave under RA 8187 if the adopted child is under seven years old. The goal is to give adoptive parents time to care for and bond with their child during the early transition.

The process usually goes through your HR team. Here’s a simple guide to help employees prepare and comply:

Step 1: Notify HR Early

As soon as you know your spouse is pregnant and have an expected delivery date, inform your HR or supervisor. RA 8187 allows you to take paternity leave within 60 days after the delivery, but early notification helps HR prepare and avoids delays. It also gives your team time to check if your spouse qualifies for maternity benefits from SSS and PhilHealth, which you may help process.

Step 2: Submit Required Documents

Most companies will ask for the following:

• PSA-issued marriage certificate (to verify eligibility under RA 8187)
• Medical certificate or ultrasound confirming the pregnancy and expected due date
• Accomplished paternity leave application form from your company
  

Step 3: Process Post-Delivery Documentation

After the delivery, you will need to submit a copy of your child’s birth certificate from the PSA or local civil registrar. In cases of miscarriage, a medical certificate or fetal death certificate will be required.

For Transferred Leave (RA 11210)

If your spouse plans to transfer part of her maternity leave to you, she must file the SSS Allocation of Maternity Leave Credits Form and the Maternity Notification Form. These go through her employer or SSS, depending on her employment status.

Note that paternity leave is fully paid by the employer; it’s not reimbursed by the SSS. That’s why all approvals and processing happen directly through HR.

Managing paternity leave can get complicated, especially with different family setups and leave types to track. HR and payroll systems make this easier by keeping everything organized and accurate.

• Automated Leave Tracking: A reliable system tracks paternity leave automatically; no spreadsheets, no manual counting needed. It also accurately handles transferred maternity leave credits.
• Digital Leave Requests and Approvals: Employees can file leave requests online, and managers can review and approve them with just a few clicks. 
• Integrated with Payroll: When leave tracking is connected to payroll, employees get the correct pay and allowances while on leave. This avoids manual errors and keeps everything compliant with labor rules.
• Centralized Employee Data: An HRIS keeps important details like marital status and leave history in one system. It’s easier for HR to check eligibility and manage records. A good HR system like Sprout HR also provides reports to help track trends and apply policies fairly.

Paternity leave plays an important role in helping fathers support their families from day one. When companies implement this benefit properly, it reflects a workplace culture that values family and employee well-being. It also helps build trust, improve retention, and create a more inclusive environment.

With the right tools in place, managing paternity leave doesn’t have to be complicated. Sprout’s HR and payroll solutions help streamline the entire process, from tracking leave balances to ensuring accurate payouts and keeping records organized.

To learn how Sprout can support your HR team with paternity leave and other compliance needs, book a consultation with our experts. For more insights about managing employee benefits and streamlining HR processes, check out Sprout’s blogs.

Male employees are entitled to 7 days of paid paternity leave for each of the first four deliveries of their lawful spouse. For eligibility and process, refer to our guide on paternity leave in the Philippines.