Hontiveros: Expanded solo parents welfare law ‘timely’
“HINDI madaling magpalaki ng anak lalo na kung mag-isa ka lang sa pagtataguyod sa kanila.”
These were the words of reelected Senator Risa Hontiveros yesterday as she lauded the passage into law of the “Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act” describing it as a “victory” for millions of solo parents around the country.
The new law includes a P1000 peso monthly cash subsidy for minimum wage-earning solo parents, a 10% discount on certain medicines for low-income solo parents with children six years and below, and prioritization of low-cost housing, PhilHealth coverage, and educational scholarships, among others.
“I am elated that the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act has been passed into law. I share this victory with the millions of solo parents in our country. Sa mga kapwa ko solo parents, tagumpay natin ito,” the senator said.
“Bilang isang solo mom ng apat na anak, pinersonal ko talaga ang pagtulak na magkaroon ng karagdagang benepisyo ang mga solo parents. I’m intimately familiar with the feeling of not being sure how to pay for my children’s tuition, not knowing who can accompany me if one of them gets sick,” Hontiveros said.
“Dahil sa K-12 system, isang naisali din sa batas ay ang karapatan ng mga solo parents na makatanggap ng benepisyo hanggang tumuntong ang ating mga anak ng 22 years old,” Hontiveros said.
“Ang mga solo parents mismo na nakapanayam namin ang nag-rekomenda ng probisyong ito,” she said.
“As a senator of the 18th Congress, I had never felt such a strong grassroots, on-the-ground push for a bill to become law. Noong panahon ng kampanya, ipinangako nating maipapasa natin ito. As promised, we have delivered. Our hard work has paid off,” said Hontiveros. By Camille P. Balagtas
