The Department of Education (DepEd) has approved the granting of wellness leave for eligible teachers and employees.
DepEd Order (DO) 002, s. 2026, known as the Wellness Leave Policy, aims to support employees’ well-being and mental health and ensure a healthy, supportive, and enabling work environment.
The order follows the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) approval of up to five days of wellness leave in line with the Mental Health Act.
‘‘By giving employees the space to rest, recover, and care for themselves, we reinforce a public service environment that is compassionate, resilient, and more responsive to the needs of the Filipino people,’’ said CSC Chairperson Marilyn Barua-Yap.
DepEd said the order takes effect immediately upon approval.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) on Sunday welcomed the latest DepEd order allowing teachers to take wellness leave.
The order, issued on Friday, grants teachers and non-teaching personnel five days of wellness leave each year to support their mental well-being. The directive is also in line with a CSC memorandum permitting government employees to avail themselves of the benefit.
In a phone interview with the Manila Standard, TDC chairperson Benjo Basas said the agency has finally responded to one of their longstanding demands.
‘‘This gives legal and explicit recognition by the state to issues regarding the wellness of our government employees, including public school teachers,’’ he said, adding that teachers’ mental health concerns are real.
He noted that the order is a step forward from the wellness break previously given to teachers in lieu of the annual In-Service Training (INSET).Basas also said many teachers continue to perform non-teaching and administrative tasks, which add to their heavy workload.
He added that curriculum-related duties, such as preparing tests, checking students’ work, and handling guidance and counseling tasks, further increase the pressure on their teaching responsibilities.
‘‘These are not done inside the classroom. Even if you spend six hours in class, preparing tests, checking students’ work, and doing guidance and counseling tasks are all part of our job,’’ he said.
Basas and the TDC called on DepEd to provide additional support to teachers, including reducing their workload and lowering class sizes.
