Yellow Bus, Husky Bus and Holiday Bus Lines will soon be providing “breastfeeding seats” in their buses.

This is in view of the Regional Development Council (RDC) 12 under Chairperson Darlene Antonino Custodio, City Mayor of General Santos City, passing a resolution last year “urging the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 12 to issue a directive requiring all bus operators in Region 12 to designate a breastfeeding seat/corner inside buses.”

The RDC-12 Social Development Committee has recommended that the three bus operators apportion the “third seat by the window” of their buses as breastfeeding stations.

On their end, LTFRB XII, in response to the resolution, issued a directive to bus operators in the region enjoining their compliance.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MRSDEWEES9'S FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

The directive orders bus operators to put a “signage” on these designated seats so that they will be exclusively “occupied by the breastfeeding mothers.”

This development will create a “mother-baby friendly ride,” favorable for both since it provides “privacy” for breastfeeding mothers to feed their babies properly.

All this  is in line with the “Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009” (Republic Act 10028) which mandates that “lactation stations” be put up in all private institutions and government agencies.

Tax incentives will be given to the Big Three Bus Operators once they comply with the law, along with other institutions which provide the same, according to the law.

In addition, RA 10028 also mandates all health and non-health facilities, establishments or institutions to assign not only lactation stations.  They also need to provide  appropriate facilities such as lavatory for hand washing, refrigeration for storing breast milk, electrical outlets for breast pumps, a small table; and comfortable seats for working lactating mothers.

RA 10028 also apportions 40 minutes for every 8-hour working period for nursing employees to “express milk” in addition to the regular meal time-off. – from a report by CT Apelacio of Philippine Information Agency