Press Release
March 17, 2019

Hontiveros seeks to expand benefits for solo parents

Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a bill seeking to expand the benefits and privileges for solo parents and their children.

Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said Senate Bill No. 1936, otherwise known as an Act Providing For Benefits And Privileges To Solo Parents and Their Children, seeks to amend Republic Act 8972 or the Solo Parents' Welfare Act by introducing the following reforms:

1. Expand the definition of solo parents to include spouses of low and semi-skilled overseas Filipino workers, who are away from the Philippines for a year;

2. Provide discounts to solo parents and their children for medical, educational and other basic needs, including tuition fees and discounts on recreational activities;

3. Require the creation of a Solo Parents Affairs Office in local government units;

4. Mandate the creation of daycare facilities in companies with more than 100 employees.

According to Hontiveros, the Philippine Statistics Authority had pegged the number of solo parents in the Philippines at three million in 2015 - two million of whom were female.

Under the bill, Solo parents are entitled to a 20 percent discount on medicines, vaccines and other medical supplements, supplies, accessories and equipment for the child until he or she is 18 years of age.

Likewise, solo parents can get a 20 percent discount on all purchases of a child's basic necessities, 20 percent discount on tuition fees per child from kindergarten to college level in both private and public educational institutions on top of any scholarship grants if any, 20 percent discount on hospital bills on both private and public hospitals, 20 percent discount on consultation and laboratory diagnostic fees and purchase of medicines for the solo parents and their children as well as a 20 percent discount on all private and public recreational facilities.

Solo parents could also claim tax amnesty and/or reduction of real estate or inheritance taxes as well as P50,000 personal exemption from the individual income tax in addition to the existing exemption that a solo parent may claim for their children.

The bill also requires the establishment of a Solo Parents Affairs Office in every local government unit. A Solo Parents help desk shall be place in every barangay for the immediate assistance of solo parents and their children.

Any person, corporation, entity or agency which violates the act or discriminates against the hiring of solo parents for work face a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than one year or both for the first offense.

Subsequent violators of the act face a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P200,000 or imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than two years or both.

Any person who misinterprets the status or who abuses the privileges granted in the act shall be slapped with a fine not less than P10,000 but not more than P50,000 and imprisonment of six months.

Hontiveros said the reforms would alleviate the plight of solo parents in the country and mitigate the disadvantages that children in solo parent household have to live with.

News Latest News Feed