CEBU CITY, Philippines – Solo parents in the Philippines will get more benefits under the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act (RA 11861), which is set to take effect by November 1.

RA 11861, which amends RA 8972, or the Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000, grants additional benefits to solo parents in the country. 

The amendment lapsed into law last June, while the implementing rules and regulations of the law was signed on September 30.

According to the DSWD, there are about 14 million solo parents in the Philippines. At least two-thirds of them are single mothers.

One key change of the law is the expansion of the definition of what a solo parent is.

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Who is considered a solo parent?

• Parent whose child was born due to rape
• Parent of minors whose spouse has already died
• Parent whose spouse has been sentenced to prison for three months or more
• Physical or mental incapacity of spouse
• Abandonment by the spouse
• Legal guardian of minors, whether or not the minor is a biological child
• Parent whose spouse is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), given OFW is part of the low-skilled or semi-skilled worker category.

Additional benefits

According to the Implementing rules and Regulations (IRR), solo parents are entitled to the following additional benefits:

• Scholarship for parent and one child up to age 21
• 20% discount on hospital bills for solo parents
• For those earning less than P250,000 annually, a 10% discount and an exemption from value-added tax on goods for children up to six years old such as food, micronutrient supplements, sanitary diapers, medications, vaccines, among other health needs
• 15% discount on school supplies
• Cash subsidy for solo parents earning minimum wage or less from their local government provided parent is not a beneficiary of another cash assistance program.
• Solo parents with a child or children in school will be prioritized for enrollment for cash aid under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, provided their income is minimum wage or below.

These benefits are in addition to those existing in the original law.

While the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the main department in charge of implementing the law, the local government units will take the lead in determining which residents are qualified to benefit from the law.

Gabriela party-list Representative Arlene Brosas, who was part of the technical working group that crafted the IRR, said during the signing that the law is timely to help solo parents deal with additional economic hardships brought about by rising inflation.

“With the additional benefits provided under this measure, solo parents will at least (be shielded from) the impact of rising prices, huge income losses, and a lack of state support,” Brosas said.

DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo said in a livestream address on Monday, October 24, that qualified solo parents will be given IDs that identify them as solo parents.

The agency and its regional offices will also take charge of grievances, where beneficiaries can complain against establishments that do not grant solo parents their discounts and other benefits. – Rappler.com