House endorses bill granting addl benefits to solo parents, children for Senate approval
THE House of Representatives on Tuesday endorsed for Senate approval the bill seeking to grant additional benefits to solo parents.
Voting 208 affirmative and 0 negative with no abstention, lawmakers passed on third and final reading House Bill 8097 to amend Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000 to uplift the lives and status of the solo parents and their children.
Over 20 years since becoming law in November 2000, Rep. Lawrence Fortun, principal author of the bill, said the Solo Parents Act is going through major upgrading to benefit 15 million single parents, 95 percent of whom are women.
“The current law, Republic Act 8972, which was enacted in 2000, has provided the framework for the rights and privileges of solo parents and their children but fails to address certain economic and social benefits that would address the pressing needs of Solo Parents to live a life of dignity in an otherwise very challenging situation,” he said.
Under the measure, qualified solo parents may avail of the additional benefit of 10-percent discount from purchases of basic necessities of a child, or children under the sole responsibility of the said qualified solo parent.
The measure defines a qualified solo parent as a solo parent earning less than P250,000 annually and who may avail of the additional benefits of 10-percent discounts from purchases of basic necessities of a child or children under the sole responsibility of the said qualified solo parent.
Pertinent to the specific category of solo parent under the law, the bill shortens the required period of detention or duration of a sentence and the period of separation or abandonment of the spouse in availing the benefits provided in the proposal.
It also enhances the educational benefits provided under the current law by guaranteeing full scholarship for a child of the solo parent and prioritizing the other children, if any, in the educational programs of the government.
The measure promotes child minding centers, breastfeeding in the workplace and social safety assistance to all kinds of solo parents and their children.
It provides for employment programs of solo parents by prioritizing them in the livelihood, training and poverty alleviation programs of the government.
The measure also encourages establishments to hire qualified solo parents by providing tax incentives, while extending tax deductions from their gross sales or gross receipts to establishments providing discounts on basic necessities of the children of solo parents.
HB 8097 also provides for medical and health welfare of the solo parents by prioritizing them in the provision of services in government hospitals and medical facilities.
It mandates a local government unit to create Solo Parent Office (SPO) in every city or province and Solo Parent Division (SPD) attached to the Municipal Social Welfare Office in every municipality.
The bill provides for stricter requirements and monitoring for the applicant solo parent and children through the SPO or SPD and creates an inter-agency coordinating and monitoring committee comprised of the different government agencies involved in providing additional benefits to the solo parents and their children.
It penalizes any person who refuses or fails to provide for the additional benefits misrepresents a status or falsifies any document in order to avail of the additional benefits.
The current law, Republic Act 8972, which was enacted in 2000, has provided the framework for the rights and privileges of solo parents and their children but fails to address certain economic and social benefits that would address the pressing needs of Solo Parents to live a life of dignity in an otherwise very challenging situation. Rep. Lawrence Fortun