The San Juan City local government has passed an ordinance aimed at helping solo parents in the city amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora signed City Ordinance No. 8, Series of 2019, the San Juan City Solo Parents Welfare Ordinance, which gives corresponding help and benefits to San Juan's solo parents.

Zamora said the City Social Welfare and Development Department will distribute Solo Parent IDs and booklets to all beneficiaries.

Some of the benefits for San Juan's solo parents include:

- 5 percent discount in the purchase of groceries in grocery stores and supermarkets;

- 20 percent discount in the purchase of medicines;

- 10 percent discount in the tuition fee of their children in schools in San Juan;

- 30 percent discount in their hospital bills at San Juan Medical Center (SJMC);

- 20 percent discount discount in other hospitals and clinics that promote the health of solo parents and their children;

- 20 percent discount in the professional fee of doctors in public and private hospitals for solo parents and their children;

- 20 percent discount in theaters, concert halls, fairs, and other entertainment venues

Zamora said the guidelines for the ordinance can be found in his official Facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/MayorFrancisZamora

He added that the local government continues to look out for and take care of the city's solo parents especially amid the pandemic.

On Monday, the city government distributed food boxes and other pandemic supplies from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to the city’s solo parents.

Zamora said that around 900 solo parents from different barangays in the city have received DSWD food boxes, face masks, and face shields from the local government.

“Alam natin na malaki ang dinadalang responsibilidad ng ating mga solo parents para itaguyod mag-isa ang kanilang mga anak. Kaya namin hindi natin nakakalilmutang kalingain sila sa abot ng ating makakaya (We all know how big the responsibility our solo parents have in raising their child/children by themselves, that’s why we shouldn’t forget to help them as much as we can especially during this pandemic),” Zamora said.