THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI will conduct a consultation dialogue with different local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Region to fast-track the expanded benefit for solo parents, particularly the release of the P1,000 subsidy.
Sherlyn Concubierta, DSWD XI Solo Parent focal person, said each LGU must prepare and provide the data for qualified beneficiaries.
“We already told them that this is the preparatory stage, so they need to provide the data for those qualified beneficiaries so that next year, each of them would be able to receive the said subsidy,” Concubierta said.
The cash subsidy is under the Republic Act 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.
She said among the LGUs in the Davao region, only Davao City had created a Solo Parent Ordinance, which has yet to draft its implementing rules and regulations.
“LGUs are required to request from their budget officer so that a budget will be allocated for the next year, as the funds will be coming from the Gender and Development Division that each LGU has, and not from DSWD,” she said.
Regardless of the number of children of a solo parent, he/ she is entitled to an equal amount of P1000 each.
Under the Solo Parent Program, the benefits include: working solo parents are entitled to have seven days of parental leave every year; scholarship program or educational assistance for their children; social safety assistance during disaster (food, medical, financial assistance for house repair) from the LGUs.
DSWD has recorded a total of 9,494 solo parents in Davao Region from last year.
To qualify as a solo parent, one must be in the following category: the birth of a child as a consequence of rape; death of the spouse; detention of spouse for at least three months; physical or mental incapacity of the spouse; legal separation or de facto separation for at least six months; declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage; abandonment by the spouse for at least six months; spouse/relative of the OFW; unmarried mother or father who keeps and rears his/her child or children; legal guardian, an adoptive or foster parent who solely provides parental care and support to a child or children; any relative within the fourth (4th) civil degree of consanguinity or affinity; and a pregnant woman who provides sole parental care and support to her unborn child or children.
