By Liza Agoot/PNA
BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a certification to John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC) classifying it as a “Mother-Baby Friendly” workplace.
“A mother-baby friendly certificate means that an institution ensures the promotion and practice of breastfeeding in the workplace by the establishment of a lactation station,” Allan Garcia, JHMC president and chief executive officer, said in a statement Thursday.
In a separate statement issued Friday, Leslie Dulfo, JHMC Gender and Development coordinator, said, “It is a mandatory station that promotes good health to the newborn.”
JHMC is a subsidiary of the government-owned Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).
Dulfo said Republic Act (RA) No. 10028 mandates government workplaces to establish a lactation station where their lactating female employees can have a place to breastfeed their babies.
She said a certification from the DOH means that JHMC has complied with the requirements of a lactation station, as defined under the law.
It is adequately provided with the necessary equipment and facilities, such as lavatory for hand-washing; refrigeration or appropriate cooling facilities for storing expressed breastmilk; electrical outlets for breast pumps; a small table; comfortable seats; and other items, the standards of which are defined by the DOH.
“Being able to store the milk properly while at work will allow them to bring home the milk for their babies to consume and not throw the precious resource,” Dulfo said.
She said lactating mothers are provided with additional break time to express milk and store them for their babies.
Section 12 of the law states, “Nursing employees shall be granted break intervals in addition to the regular time-off for meals to breastfeed or express milk. These intervals, which shall include the time it takes an employee to get to and from the workplace lactation station, shall be counted as compensable hours worked.”
Dulfo said JHMC received its certification in December, which was received by Garcia.
“More than providing lactation service facilities to its stakeholders, JHMC encourages its locators to replicate the same to further promote and practice breastfeeding in the workplace,” Zyrelle Del Prado, JHMC community relations officer, said.
Open for public use, the JHMC lactation station is located at Cottage 628 at the JHMC main office, Camp John Hay.
