Solo Parents Welfare Law will soon benefit Pinoys--Villafuerte
Now that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act or Republic Act (RA) 11861, Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. Luis “LRay” Villafuerte is hopeful that the measure will help a wide range of beneficiaries.

“We are looking forward to the immediate and full release of this monthly pension to low-income solo parents plus the application or provision of other benefits due them and all other Filipinos who have single-handedly been raising their children, following the release of RA 11861’s IRR,” Villafuerte said.
“This expanded social protection program for solo parents is timely, considering that a number of single dads or moms were likely on last year’s bigger list of Filipinos who lived below the poverty line,” he continued.
The DSWD signed the law’s IRR last Sept. 30. Villafuerte was a principal author of the House pre-cursor to the law, House Bill (HB) 8097.
Under the measure, solo parents will receive P1,000 monthly subsidy. Meanwhile, those earning less than P250,000 annually are entitled to a 10 percent discount and value-added tax (VAT) exemption on milk, food, supplements, diapers, medicines, vaccines, and other basic necessities for children.
This discount and VAT exemption are effective from the birth of their child up until they turn six years old.
Beneficiaries will also be prioritized for low-cost housing projects by the National Housing Authority (NHA), PhilHealth insurance programs, and scholarship programs offered by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).