As the nation marks Solo Parents Week, Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan has called on local government units (LGUs) to step up the implementation of additional benefits for single mothers and fathers, especially the grant of the P1,000 monthly subsidy to those earning minimum wage or below.

Yamsuan, a former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), also reminded LGUs to set up Solo Parents’ Offices or Divisions in their respective localities as provided under Republic Act 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.

“Our LGUs play a key role in effectively implementing the law granting additional benefits to solo parents who every day bravely face the tough challenge of raising kids on their own. They deserve to know and feel that the government is behind them as they work hard to ensure a bright future for their children,” Yamsuan said.

“With the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act now being implemented in its second year, we hope that most LGUs, particularly those belonging to high-income cities and municipalities, have already complied with the provisions of this law,” added Yamsuan.

The latest available data show that there are about 15 million single parents in the country, most of them women.

Aside from LGUs, Yamsuan also called on hospitals, drugstores and other retail outlets to honor the discounts provided for solo parents under RA 11861.

In his personal capacity, Yamsuan has been helping solo parents residing in his home city of Paranaque, by providing them with rice assistance packages under his Extra Rice Program.

The Expanded Solo Parents’ Welfare Act declares the third week and third Saturday of April as Solo Parents’ Week and National Solo Parents’ Day, respectively.

Under this law, the P1,000 monthly subsidy for solo parents earning minimum wage or below shall be allocated by the concerned city or municipal government. Solo parents receiving the subsidy should not be a recipient of any other cash assistance from other government programs.

Additional benefits under this law include the grant of a 20% discount on hospital bills; a 10% discount for those earning less than P250,000 annually and an exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on essential goods, such as diapers, infant milk and vaccines for children up to six years old.

Solo parents are also automatically covered under the National Health Insurance Program of Philhealth with premium contributions to be paid by the national government for those working in the informal economy.

They are also given priority in finding jobs and in government housing projects under RA 11861. The children of solo parents shall also be given priority in apprenticeships, scholarships, livelihood training, reintegration programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other poverty alleviation programs, among other privileges.

The law expands the definition of solo parent to include spouses or any family members of OFWs or guardians of the OFW’s child, provided that the OFW “belongs to the low/semi-skilled category and is away from the Philippines for an uninterrupted period of 12 months.”