BACOLOD City – Only 611 solo parents in this city have been qualified to avail of the subsidy provided by the city government.
The cash subsidy is in relation to the implementation of the Republic Act (RA) 11861, or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2022, and City Ordinance (CO) No. 1041, series of 2023, or an ordinance amending section 4 of CO 550, or the solo parents programs/services ordinance.
Section 15 of RA 11861 stated that a monthly cash subsidy of P1,000 per month per solo parent who is earning a minimum wage and below is to be allocated by the concerned city or municipal government in accordance with Section 17(b)(2)(iv) of the Local Government Code.
Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga, head of the city’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), said that qualified solo parent beneficiaries will each receive a cash subsidy of P12,000, or an equivalent amount of P1,000 per month.
The distribution will be held at the Northwing of SM City Mall on March 4.
Last year, the city allocated fund for the subsidy of 1,500 solo parents, but after a thorough validation, only 611 have been qualified.
“Some solo parent applicants, for one, failed to undergo interview, that is why they were not qualified,” explained Verdeprado-Mangga.
The DSSD will issue an identification card (ID) to solo parents for this will be one of the requirements in applying for the availment of the subsidy.
Verdeprado-Mangga said the ID is valid only for a year.
“They will have to renew yearly because their respective barangay will validate them if they are still qualified to be a solo parent,” she added.
A solo parent refers to any individual who provides sole parental care and support of the child or children due to birth as a consequence of rape, even without final conviction; death of the spouse; detention of the spouse for at least three months or service of sentence for a criminal conviction.
It can also be a parent who provides sole parental care and support of the child or children due to the following:
* physical or mental incapacity of the spouse as certified by a public оr private medical practitioner;
* legal separation or de facto separation for at least six months, and the solo parent is entrusted with the sole parental care and support of the child or children; and
* declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage; and abandonment by the spouse for at least six months./PN
