SINGLE PARENTS! REGISTER AND AVAIL YOUR BENEFITS UNDER SOLO PARENT'S WELFARE ACT

Being a single parent who supports your family alone is a very difficult challenge. Fortunately, the government created a law that would give benefits to the qualified single parent.

Under Republic Act 8972 also known as “Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000” qualified single parent will receive benefits from the government.

According to the Official Gazette of the Philippines, these are the qualifications that you need to be consider as a “single parent”

A woman who gives birth as a result of rape and other crimes against chastity even without a final conviction of the offender, provided that mother keeps and raises the child.

Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to the following circumstances:

• a. Due to death of spouse.
• b. Spouse is detained or is serving sentence for a criminal conviction for at least one (1) year.
• c. Physical and/or mental incapacity of spouse as certified by a public medical practitioner.
• d. Legal separation or de facto separation from spouse for at least one (1) year, as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody of the children.
• e. Declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage as decreed by a court or by a church as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody of the children.

Unmarried mother/father who has preferred to keep and rear her/his child/children instead of having others care for them or give them up to a welfare institution.

Any other person who solely provides parental care and support to a child or children. Any family member who assumes the responsibility of head of family as a result of the death, abandonment, disappearance or prolonged absence of the parents or solo parent.

A single parent can also ask for support if her income falls below the poverty threshold. They can asked for assistance like scholarship for your child, medical and hospitalization benefits and etc. 

They can directly inquire from the following agencies to avail their services.

Health Services (DOH)

Educational Services (CHED, TESDA)

Housing (NHA)

Parental Leave (Employer, DOLE, CSC)

Note: A solo parent whose income is above the poverty threshold shall enjoy only such limited benefits as flexible work schedule, parental leave and others to be determined by the DSWD.

These are the benefits that you will receive if you successfully get your Solo Parent ID:

1. Flexible work scheduleA solo parent employee has the right to vary his/her arrival and departure time without affecting the core work hours as defined by the employer. The employer shall provide for a flexible working schedule for solo parents, as long as it shall not affect individual and company productivity. In case of certain meritorious grounds, the employer may request exemption from DOLE.
2. No work discriminationEmployer are prohibited from discriminating against any solo parent employee with respect to terms and conditions of employment on account of his/her status.
3. Parental leave. 

The parental leave of seven (7) days shall be granted to any Solo Parent employee subject to the following conditions:

• 1. The solo parent must have rendered government service for a least one (1) year, whether continuous or broken, reckoned at the time of the effectivity of the law on September 22, 2002, regardless of the employment status.
• 2. The parental leave shall be availed of every year and shall not be convertible to cash. If not availed within the calendar year, said privilege shall be forfeited within the same year.
• 3. The parental leave shall be availed of on a continuous or staggered basis, subject to the approval of the Administrator. In this regard, the solo parent shall submit the application for parental leave at least one (1) week prior to availing the solo parent leave, except on emergency cases.
• 4. The solo parent employee may avail of parental leave under any of the following circumstances:

a. Attend to personal milestones of a child such as birthday, communion, graduation and other similar events;
b. Perform parental obligations such as enrollment and attendance in school programs, PTA meetings and the like;
c. Attend to medical social, spiritual and recreational needs of the child;
d. Other similar circumstances necessary in the performance of parental duties and responsibilities, where physical presence of the parent is required.

• 5. The head of agency/office concerned may determine whether granting of parental leave is proper or may conduct the necessary investigation to ascertain if grounds for termination and withdrawal of the privilege exist.

How to get your Solo Parent ID?

These are the requirements and procedure on how to get a solo parent id according to Official Gazette

1. The applicants for the solo parent ID must bring the following documents to the City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office:

• Barangay certification certifying Solo Parent’s residency in the barangay for the last six months.
• Certificates e.g., birth certificates of children, death certificate of spouse and other appropriate documentary support
• Income tax return or any document that will establish the income level of the solo parent

2. The social worker receives and ensures that all documents are complete and registers the applications with an appropriate case number in the log-book Registry of Solo Parents.

Note: The ID will be issued after 30 days from filing. The validity of the ID is one year and is renewable.

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