By Joy Silab-Reunir, Social Welfare
Officer I
One of the
services of the City Social Welfare and Development Office under the Family
Welfare Program is the implementation of RA 8972 or the Solo Parent’s Welfare Act
to provide benefits and privileges to solo parents and their children. It aims
to develop a comprehensive package of social development and welfare services
for solo parents and their children to be carried out by the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as the lead agency, various government
agencies like DOH, DECS, CHED, TESDA, DOLE, NHA and DILG and other related
NGOs. RA 8972 was signed into law on November 7, 2000 and took effect on
November 28, 2000. Its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) was approved in
April 2002.
At present, the
CSWD Office has ongoing schedules of orientation to the different barangays aimed
at disseminating information about the law and register eligible solo parents.
The purpose of registration is to gather baseline data which will provide a
general picture of the solo parents’ situation in Victorias City, identifying
their needs so that appropriate services can be planned out for their welfare
in the future.
Under the law,
the comprehensive package of programs/services for solo parents include: livelihood,
self-employment and skills development, employment-related benefits,
psychosocial, educational, health, and housing services. Solo Parent income
that falls below the poverty threshold as set by the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) and subject to the assessment of the DSWD worker
in the area shall be eligible for assistance. However, a solo parent whose
income is above the poverty threshold shall enjoy only such limited benefits as
flexible work schedule, seven days parental leave on top of the three-day
special leave and other mandatory leave benefits. Parental leave refers to
leave benefits granted to a solo parent to enable the said parent to perform
parental duties and responsibilities where physical presence is required as
provided under Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 08,
Series 2004.
Solo Parent is
any individual who falls under any of the following categories:
1. A
woman who gives birth as a result of rape and other crimes against chastity
even without a final conviction of the offender, provided that mother keeps and
raises the child.
2. Parent
left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to the following
circumstances:
a.
Due to death of spouse.
b.
Spouse is detained or is serving sentence for a
criminal conviction for at least 1 year.
c.
Physical or mental incapacity of spouse as
certified by a public medical practitioner.
d.
Legal separation or de facto separation from
spouse for at least one year, as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody
of the children.
e.
Declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage
as decreed by a court or by a church as long as he/she is entrusted with the
custody of the children.
3. Unmarried
mother/father who has preferred to keep and rear the child instead of having
other care for them or give them up to a welfare institution.
4. Any
other person who solely provides parental care and support to a child or
children.
5. Any
family member who assumes the responsibility of head of family as a result of
the death, abandonment, disappearance or prolonged absence of the parents or
solo parent.
To register, a solo parent must have a child living with him/her,
dependent for support, unmarried, unemployed, and below 18 years old, or above 18 but is incapable of
self-support with physical/mental disability. An application form is available
at the office of the CSWD with the following requirements such as Barangay
Certificate of Residency/Solo Parent Status (establish source of living - for
unemployed), Death Certificate of Spouse (Widow), Declaration of
Nullity/Annulment of Marriage, Income Tax Return (ITR) – for employed, 2 pcs.
1x1 picture.
The Social Worker assigned has to complete the assessment/evaluation of
the solo parent situation and ID will be issued after 30 days (maximum) for
filing. The validity of the ID is one year and is renewable. A change in status
with marriage or circumstances of the parent that is no longer left alone with
the responsibility of parenthood can terminate the privilege of a solo parent.
For further inquiries, please visit the CSWD Office and look for the
program in-charge, Joy Silab-Reunir, Social Welfare Officer I.
