Gabriela Women’s Partylist, on Monday, April 18, called on President Rodrigo Duterte to “urgently sign” the Expanded Solo Parents’ Welfare Act to help alleviate the suffering of solo parents in the country.
Solo parents, according to Gabriela, would immediately benefit from the measure, especially amid the rising prices of basic goods in the Philippines.
“It’s about time that we give the breather which solo parents have been pushing for long time. During the pandemic, they were among those who were neglected in the government’s social amelioration program,” said Gabriela in a statement.
Meanwhile, the women’s group criticized presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who previously claimed that “additional daycare centers” will address the problems of solo parents.
“Komprehensibo ang inilalatag nating solusyon sa suliranin ng ating mga solo parents, hindi katulad ng anak ng diktador na halatang walang alam sa kalagayan ng solo parents (We are laying out a comprehensive solution to the problem of solo parents, unlike the dictator’s son who obviously knows nothing about the situation of solo parents),” said Gabriela.
Under the Expanded Solo Parents’ Welfare Act, additional benefits such as P1,000 monthly subsidy and 10 percent discount, as well as value-added tax (VAT) exemption for the baby’s basic needs would be granted to solo parents.
According to Gabriela, the measure likewise includes scholarship programs for the children of solo parents and the prioritization in the hiring of solo parents, especially for solo mothers.