Solo parents in Mandaue City may soon get P12T annual aid

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City Council has approved on first reading the proposed ordinance providing a monthly subsidy of P1,000 to solo parents in the city.

Based on the proposed measure sponsored by City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, it noted the need to provide a monthly cash subsidy to solo parents in the city, “acknowledging the vital role, contributions, and active involvement of the sector of solo parents in advancing nation-building and fostering the city’s development.”

The proposed monthly cash subsidy “aims to support the solo parents, particularly in meeting their escalating expenses and other growing financial obligations.”

According to the proposed ordinance, Mandaue City has less than a thousand registered solo parents.

Section 5 of the proposed ordinance says that the monthly cash subsidy shall be disbursed in two tranches of P6,000 each. The first tranche of P6,000 shall be released on any day in June and the second tranche of P6,000 shall be released on any day in November.

However, for the calendar year 2024, the subsidy shall be released as a single payment of P12,000 on any day in November and may only be availed by eligible solo parents who have met all qualifications and submitted all the required documents as of January to March 2024.

Eligible solo parents are those that have been duly registered as solo parents in the City of Mandaue based on the requirements and categories laid down by Republic Act No. 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.

Under Section 15 (o) of RA 11861, a solo parent who is earning minimum wage and below shall be entitled to subsidy-tested-cash subsidy per month.

The Solo Parent Act or RA 8972 as amended by RA 71861 also mandates that "the DILG shall provide the rules and regulations on the allocation of the funds and distribution of the P1,000 additional benefit to solo parents in accordance with the Local Government Code."

Further, solo parent refers to any individual who falls under several categories, including a parent who provides sole parental care and support of the child or children due to birth as a consequence of rape, even without final conviction; death of the spouse; and detention of the spouse for at least three months of service of sentence for a criminal conviction.

Also included as categories are those physically or mentally incapacitated of the spouse as certified by a public or private medical practitioner; or those entrusted with the sole parental care and support of the child or children following legal separation or declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage, as decreed by a court recognized by law.

Those abandoned by their spouse for at least six months are also considered as solo parents; and even spouses 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.

Further, solo parents that will seek benefits under the City Ordinance, when approved, need to have income level equal to or below the poverty threshold as determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and the designated social worker has determined that the income is insufficient for the subsistence in the place of residence.

Apart from which, qualified solo parents need to be registered voters of the city and shall not be receiving any other subsidy from any other government programs, provided that senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD) may continue receiving their corresponding benefits without forfeiting benefits under Republic Act 111681.

Solo parents who have transferred from one barangay to another or from one town or city to Mandaue City must obtain a Certificate of Change of Residence that must be validated by the Solo Parents Office for updating of records. — (FREEMAN)