DAVAO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Davao region is urging local government units to provide the P1,000 monthly cash subsidy for solo parents as mandated by law, but clarified that this is subject to the availability of funds. 

The cash subsidy is among the additional benefits for solo parents as provided by Republic Act (RA) 11861, also known as the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.

DSWD XI Solo Parent focal Sherlyn S. Concubierta said that the budget for the cash subsidy comes from the LGUs and not from DSWD.

Concubierta explained that the cash assistance is per solo parent, not per dependent. The beneficiaries must be wage earners and not recipients of any government subsidy. 

Under the law, the first-class to fourth-class municipalities are mandated to allocate P1,000, while the cash subsidy from the fifth-class municipalities will depend on their capability and budget.

She said that even if solo parents cannot avail of the cash subsidy, they can still avail of the other programs and services, citing for instance, the scholarship program for the students of solo parents.

Concubierta said that the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) offer scholarship programs to qualified students.

But she added that the scholarship is not automatically given as it follows the guidelines of the agencies.

During calamities, solo parents and their children are among those on the priority lists for food, medical, and financial assistance for house repairs as part of their social protection benefits.

Solo parents who have children aged six years and below could avail of the 10 percent discount on selected products. However, the implementation of this benefit is still on hold pending guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH).

“Naa nay guidelines ang Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Ang gipaabot nalang nato is ang DOH,” Concubierta disclosed.

Who are considered solo parents? 

Concubierta emphasized that the law sets certain parameters for someone to be qualified as a solo parent.

She explained that those qualified under Code A1 are those who gave birth because of the consequences of rape; Code A2 are those who became solo parents due to the death of their spouse; Code A3 are those whose spouse is detained for at least three months; and Code A4 are those whose spouse is physically or mentally incapable.

Under Code A5, they are those who became solo parents due to legal separation or de facto separation.

She explained that for legal separation, the married couple underwent legal proceedings, while for de facto separation, there is no legal process for the separation of a married couple.

Lastly, Code F covers pregnant women whose partners do not recognize their unborn children.

As of 2023 data, there are a total of 9,494 solo parents in Davao region. 

Davao City and Davao del Sur recorded the highest number of registered and validated solo parents with 3,752. Davao del Norte has 3,163, while Davao Oriental has 886, Davao de Oro has 1,480, and Davao Occidental has180. (RVC/CLC/ASO/PIA-Davao/Thumbnail photo from Davao de Oro LGU)