Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera (PPAB)

Deputy Minority Leader Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera has made it her new mission to promote the welfare of Filipino single or solo parents. 

“For the next chapter of our journey, we want to empower solo parents through active representation, and lead their call for more accessible and valuable programs and benefits – we want to serve them as the Solon ng Soloista (the Solon of the Soloists),” she declared in a press conference Thursday, April 25.

Fully committing to her a new battle cry, she even changed the slogan of BH Party-list from “I-angat ang Pamilya (Uplift the Family)" to “I-angat and Lahat ng Pamilya (Uplift all families)”, to symbolize the inclusion and recognition of non-traditional family units, such as the ones headed by solo parents.

“This is the natural evolution of our lifelong mission and advocacy to uplift Filipino families. While the ideal scenario is two parents working together to support, nurture, and guide their children, solo parents–or what we affectionately refer to as soloistas–essentially take on all the roles and responsibilities,” Herrera noted.  

She cited a study that showed approximately the 95 percent of the 15 million single parents in the Philippines were female. She underscored that many of these soloistas face discrimination when they try to avail of the benefits provided in the Solo Parent Act. 

“Even the simple act of acquiring a Solo Parent ID is confusing and difficult. Some establishments are not even aware that there is a law in place. Our goal is to help lighten the burden of Filipino solo parents, not to give them more bureaucratic difficulties or put them in situations where they need to explain themselves,” the lady lawmaker underscored. 

“Life is already so difficult as it is, imagine how challenging it is to care for, nurture, and raise a family. That's already the major undertaking for two parents, how more so for soloistas?” she said. 

Through Herrera, the BH Party-list lobbied for House Resolution (HR) No. 1681, which is envisioned to aid in the implementation of the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act or Republic Act (RA) No.11861. 

Thanks to HR No. 1681, the law now broadens the definition of a solo parent and includes the spouse of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who is living in the Philippines to take care of their children, and also pregnant women without any partners. The amendment also gives priority to solo parents who wish to obtain a work-from-home agreement from their employer, based on the Telecommuting Act, and other such benefits. 

Two executives present during the event immediately responded to Herrera’s call to action. Robert Nazal, president of YSA Skin Care Clinic; and Rodolfo Medina Junior, Chief Executive Officer of Medical depot, pledged discounts for solo parents.

All YSA Skin Care Clinics will offer a 10 percent discount, according to Nazal, “as a way to show our support and recognition for the soloistas of our community. We want them to know that there are groups like the BH Partylist that truly listen to their woes and are willing to assist them.”

Medical Depot’s Bambang branch will extend the same benefit, “in line with our shared vision to be an instrument of healing and relief, which we gladly offer to soloistas".

Herrera expressed her gratitude to the two for their “warm and generous response". 

“We hope that this creates a ripple effect that will be magnified by other key stakeholders. Ipakita po natin sa ating mga soloista na may back-up na sila (Let us show Filipino solo parents that we are backing them up),” she concluded.