The Muntinlupa City government has granted additional benefits to qualified solo parents in the city.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed Ordinance No. 2025-311 on March 3, a measure enacted by the Muntinlupa City Council on Feb. 10.

The new local law is known as the "Muntinlupa City Solo Parents Cash Subsidy Ordinance," which grants “additional benefits to qualified solo parents of Muntinlupa pursuant to Republic Act No. 11861 otherwise known as an act granting additional benefits to solo parents and appropriating funds therefor.”

Mayor Ruffy Biazon and attendees including solo parents at the Women's Forum in Muntinlupa 2024 held by the ng Muntinlupa Gender And Development Office (Photo from ng Muntinlupa Gender And Development Office Facebook page)

Under the ordinance, solo parents in Muntinlupa who are earning minimum wage and below will receive a monthly cash subsidy of P1,000 from the city government.

The ordinance added “that the solo parent under this section is not a recipient of any other cash assistance or subsidy from any other government programs: Provided, finally, That a beneficiary who is also a senior citizen or a person with disability (PWD) may continue receiving senior citizen or PWD benefits without forfeiting the benefits under this Act.”

In addition, solo parents in Muntinlupa will receive the following benefits:

- Ten (10) percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on baby's milk, food and micronutrient supplements, and sanitary diapers purchased, duly prescribed medicines, vaccines, and other medical supplements purchased from the birth of the child or children until six (6) years of age of a solo parent who is earning less than P250,000 annually.

- Automatic coverage under the National health Insurance Program (NHIP) being administered by PhilHealth with premium contributions to be paid by the national government. The premium contribution of solo parents in the formal economy shall be shared equally by their employees and the national government.

- Prioritization of solo parents, particularly solo mothers in re-entering the work force, and their children as applicable, in apprenticeships, scholarships, livelihood training, reintegration programs for OFWs, employment information and matching services, and other poverty alleviation programs of the TESDA, DTI, CHED, DepEd, DOLE, DMW and other related government agencies, subject to the standard eligibility and qualifications.

- Prioritization and allocation in housing projects with liberal terms of payment on the government low-cost housing projects in accordance with housing law provisions prioritizing applicants below poverty line as declared by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

To avail of the benefits, solo parents need to present their solo parent IDs.

Under the Muntinlupa ordinance, a solo parent refers to the following:

A. A parent who provides sole parental care and support of the child or children due to:

1. Birth of a child as a consequence Of rape, even without final conviction: Provided, That the mother has the sole parental care and support of the child or children: Provided, further, That the solo parent under this category may still be considered a solo parent under any of the categories in this section;

2.. Death of the spouse;

3. Detention of the spouse for at least three (3) months or service of sentence for a criminal conviction;

4. Physical or mental incapacity of the spouse as certified by a public or private medical practitioner;

5. Legal Separation or de facto separation for at least six (6) months, and the solo parent is entrusted with the sole parental care and support of the child or children;

6. Declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage, as decreed by a court recognized by law, or due to divorce, subject to existing laws, and the solo parent is entrusted with the sole parental care and support of the child or children;

7. Abandonment by the spouse for at least six (6) months.

B. Spouse or any family member of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), or the guardian of the child or children of an OFW: Provided, That the said OFW belongs to the low/semi-skilled worker category and is away from the Philippines for an uninterrupted period of 12 months. Provided that the OFW, his or her spouse, family member, or guardian of the child or children of an OFW falls under the requirements of this section;

C. Unmarried mother or father who keeps and rears the child or children;

D. Any legal guardian, adoptive or foster parent who solely provides parental care and support to a child or children;

E. Any relative within fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity of the parent or legal guardian who assumes parental care and support of the child or children as a result of the death, abandonment, disappearance or absence of the parents or solo parent for at least six (6) months: Provided, That in cases of solo grandparents who are senior citizens but who have the sole parental care and support over their grandchildren who are unmarried, or unemployed and 22 years old or below, or those 22 years old or over but who are unable to fully take care or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because Of a physical or mental disability or condition, they shall be entitled to the benefits of this Act in addition to the benefits granted to them by Republic Act No. 9257, otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003;

F. A pregnant woman who provides sole parental care and support to the unborn child or children.