Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, June 28 hailed the passage into law of the Expanded Solo Parents Act calling it a victory for the millions of solo parents in the Philippines.

The measure lapsed into law last June 4, 2022, without President Duterte’s signature.

“I am elated that the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act has been passed into law. I share this victory with the millions of solo parents in our country. Sa mga kapwa ko solo parents, tagumpay natin ito (To fellow solo parents, this is our victory),” Hontiveros said in a statement.

As a solo parent to four children, Hontiveros said she personally made every effort to push for additional benefits for solo parents.

“I’m intimately familiar with the feeling of not being sure how to pay for my children’s tuition, not knowing who can accompany me if one of them gets sick,” she pointed out.

The senator said the new law includes a provision of a P1,000 peso monthly cash subsidy for minimum wage-earning solo parents, a 10 percent discount on certain medicines for low-income solo parents with children 6 years and below, prioritization in low-cost housing, PhilHealth coverage, and educational scholarships, among others.

Because of the K to 12 program, the law now also covers the needs of solo parents until their children reaches 22 years old.

“As Senator of the 18th Congress, I had never felt such a strong grassroots, on-the-ground push for a bill to become law,” she said.

“Noong panahon ng kampanya, ipinangako nating maipapasa natin ito (During the campaign, I promised to pass this). As promised, we have delivered. Our hard work has paid off,” the Senate Committee on Women and Children further said.