Solo parents stand to benefit from the amendments to the Solo Parents Act, which envisions a 10 percent discount and VAT exemption on baby’s milk, food and supplements, sanitary diaper, and duly prescribed medicines, vaccines, and other medical supplements for children 6 and below for solo parents earning less than P250,000 annually
Congress said some 15 million solo parents stand to benefit from the amended Solo Parents Act, said Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun in a press release.
Fortun who is a member for the minority of the Committee on Revision of Laws, said solo parents are not invisible citizens because we see their suffering and we act to address their woes.
He chaired the technical panel that worked on House Bill 8097.
In his speech endorsing the ratification of the bicameral approved version, Fortun said, "under HB8097, we aimed to provide more privileges to our solo parents to help them in their daily needs. But taking into account the concerns of some sectors, these were tempered. Nevertheless, I am happy that the consolidated version is still able to expand the benefits currently being enjoyed by our solo parents under RA8972."
"Benefits include full scholarship for the solo parent and a child of a solo parent; social safety assistance during disasters and pandemic; automatic coverage under the National Health Insurance Program; and a P1,000-monthly subsidy from the city or municipal LGUs for solo parents who are minimum wage earners and below subject to the Gender and Development Budget of the 5th class Municipalities and lower," Fortun said.
"Solo parents also get a 10 percent discount and VAT exemption on baby’s milk, food and supplements, sanitary diaper, and duly prescribed medicines, vaccines, and other medical supplements for children 6 and below for solo parents earning less than P250,000 annually," the congressman also said.
Expanded coverage
The amendments expanded the coverage of solo parents' benefit by making the definition of solo parent inclusive or wider.
"Una dito ay ang pagpapalawig ng depinisyon ng ‘solo parent’” upang mapaigsi natin ang reckoning period para maturing na ‘solo parent’ ang isang magulang na may asawa na nakakulong o umabandona, o kaya dumaan sa legal o de facto separation; at para na rin mabigyan ng pribilehiyo ang mga nagdadalang-tao na walang kasama sa pag-aalaga sa bata na nasa kanyang sinapupunan," Fortun said.
"Idinagdag naman sa consolidated version ang pagturing na ‘solo parent’ sa kabiyak ng OFWs na low- or semi-skilled at pagtaas sa 22 mula 18 ang gulang ng mga dependents ng solo parents para maitugma sa school age natin ngayon," he added.
"Pangalawa, ang 7-day parental leave na nakapaloob sa RA8972 ay ginawa nating paid leaves upang mas magampanan ng solo parents ang kanilang mga tungkulin para sa kanilang mga anak," he said.
Pangatlo, minamandato nito sa mga LGU ang pagbuo ng Solo Parents Office o Division para masiguradong matutukan ang pangangailangan ng ating solo parents sa mga lokalidad. At pang-apat, nakatala na rin sa panukalang batas ang documentary requirements sa pagkuha ng Solo Parents Identification Card at Booklet para masiguro ang patas na pagpapatupad nito," Fortun said.
Tags: #RepLawrenceFortun, #SoloParentsAct, #benefitsofsoloparents, #Congress