Recognizing the challenges that befall solo parents, the State, as our parents patriae,

has allowed the enactment of Republic Act No. 11861 or the Expanded Solo
Parents Welfare Act after it lapsed into law.

The new law affords additional benefits to millions of Filipinos who are deemed solo
parents on top of the privileges already extended to them under RA 8972 which was
enacted more than two decades ago.

Who is considered a solo parent?

 Parent whose child was born due to rape
 Parent of minors whose spouse has already died
 Parent whose spouse has been sentenced to prison for three months or more
 Physical or mental incapacity of spouse
 Abandonment by the spouse
 Legal guardian of minors, whether or not the minor is a biological child
 Parent whose spouse is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), given OFW is part of
the low-skilled or semi-skilled worker category.

RA 8972 expanded the definition of “solo parents” to include:

 Persons who carry the similar burden of having to support and take care of their
child or wards.
 Spouses or any family member of overseas Filipino workers who are in the
low/semi-skilled category and are away from the Philippines for an unbroken
period of 12 months.
 Relatives within the fourth civil degree of affinity or consanguinity or the legal
guardian who assumes parental care or support of a child after his or her parent’s
death, abandonment, disappearance, or absence for six months.
 For solo grandparents, the benefits extended to them shall be on top of those
granted to them by the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003.

Another welcome is the amendment of the period of abandonment for the abandoned
spouse to be considered a solo parent. From one year, the period has been reduced to
six months.

The provision mandating government agencies to develop a comprehensive package

of social protection services for solo parents and their families was also amended to
include, in the package, targeted interventions for individuals in need of protection
which include:
 Temporary shelter
 Counseling
 Legal advice and assistance
 Medical care
 Self-concept or ego-building
 Crisis management
 Spiritual nourishment

Prior to the enactment of the expanded law, solo parents may avail themselves of
seven days of paid leave only after rendering service for one year. Now, even after six
months as an employee, a solo parent may already avail of the parental leave.
Educational benefits are also extended to solo parents by mandating the DepEd,
CHEd, and TESDA to provide scholarship programs for solo parents and a full school
scholarship for one child of a solo parent, upon meeting the qualifications set forth by
the government agencies involved.

The Expanded Solo Parents Act also entitles a solo parent to:
 Monthly cash subsidy of P1,000 for minimum-wage earners or those with less
income.
 10-percent discount and exemption from VAT on certain products such as infant
milk, food, and other medical supplements, under certain conditions.
 Automatic philhealth coverage such that the government shall cover the premium
contributions of the qualified solo parents.

As a fitting tribute to solo parents who are not just heroes, but also superheroes in
their own regard, the law also declares the third week and third Saturday of April of
every year as Solo Parents Week and National Solo Parents Day, respectively.

Additional benefits

According to the Implementing rules and Regulations (IRR), solo parents are entitled
to the following additional benefits:
 Scholarship for parent and one child up to age 21
 20% discount on hospital bills for solo parents
 For those earning less than P250,000 annually, a 10% discount and an exemption
from value-added tax on goods for children up to six years old such as food,
micronutrient supplements, sanitary diapers, medications, vaccines, among other
health needs
 15% discount on school supplies
 Cash subsidy for solo parents earning minimum wage or less from their local
government provided parent is not a beneficiary of another cash assistance
program.
 Solo parents with a child or children in school will be prioritized for enrollment
for cash aid under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, provided their
income is minimum wage or below.

These benefits are in addition to those existing in the original law.