MISSING CONTEXT: Imee Marcos authored the ‘Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act’

At a glance

• Claim: Senator Imee Marcos authored Republic Act (RA) 11861, or the “Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.”
• Rating: MISSING CONTEXT. Rappler agrees with the “Missing Context” rating that Interaksyon originally used for its fact check regarding this claim.
• The facts: Marcos is not the sole author of the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act. It was principally authored by Senator Risa Hontiveros and co-authored by six other senators, including Senator Marcos.
• Why we fact-checked this: Senator Marcos’ post misleads netizens into thinking that she alone championed RA 11861, when there were five other co-authors, along with the principal author.

Complete details

On Wednesday, June 29, Senator Marcos posted on Facebook, and credited herself as the “author” of Republic Act (RA) 11861, or the “Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act,” which lapsed into law last June 4. 

“Eto na nga mga mamshies at papshies! Pinaglaban ko hanggang sa huling sandali, at ngayon ay ganap ng batas. Bilang isang solo parent, pamilyar na ang inyong lingkod sa mga pagsubok na ating kinahaharap sa pagpapalaki ng ating mga anak,” Marcos wrote.

(This is it, mommies and daddies! I fought tooth and nail for this, and now, it has finally lapsed into law. As a solo parent, I am familiar with the challenges that we face when we raise our children.) 

This claim is missing context. 

RA 11861, which aims to appropriate funds for solo parents and their children, was principally authored by Senator Risa Hontiveros. She first filed the Expanded Solo Parents’ Welfare Act or Senate Bill 1936 on August 15, 2018.

Senator Marcos – along with Senator Miguel Zubiri, former Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senator Bong Go, and Senator Bong Revilla, and former senator Richard Gordon – co-authored Senate Bill No. 1411, or the “Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2020.” Hontiveros was primary sponsor of the same Senate bill.

Last June 4, the bill lapsed into law after former president Rodridgo Duterte failed to veto or sign it. According to the Constitution, a bill may become law if the president fails to act on it within 30 days upon receipt. – Rochel Ellen Bernido/Rappler.com with Regina Adolfo/Interaksyon

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