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Republic of the Philippines 06 SEP 2016
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE! Dare i
Quezon City Tive: aol
ey" ter
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS —

First Regular Session PECISTRATION UNIT

House Bill NS498 BILLS awd NCEX SERVICE

Introduced by Representative ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Several provisions of the 1987 Constitution stressed the responsibility of the
government to nurture the Filipino family to ensure our development as a nation:

"The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution... The natural
and primary right and duty of the parents in the rearing of the youth for civic
efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the support of
the Government.” (Article I, Section 12)
“The State recognizes the family as the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it
shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development.”
(Article XV, Section 1)

Concern for solo parents has grown considerably in recent years with the enactment
of Republic Act No. 8972 or the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000 which requires the State,
particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other related agencies
to draw up comprehensive packages of benefits which include tax breaks, housing benefits,
and health and education insurance. However, upon this Representation’s consultation with
the sector, we find that there is a need to amend the law to make it more responsive to the
needs of solo parents and their households.

This bill seeks to further strengthen the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act. First, it decreases
the waiting period from one year to six months before a solo parent can be allowed to avail
of benefits as a solo parent, Second, as solo parents are vulnerable to economic limitations,
the bill grants additional benefits to solo parents like discounts on children’s clothing
materials, and baby's milk, food, medicines and vitamins. Last, the bill includes penalties for
non-compliance to the amended law and the inclusion of budget appropriation for its
implementation.

Recognizing that the quality of parenting, not the presence or absence of father or
mother, determines the holistic development of the youth and the Filipino family, the State
must exert all efforts to lend a helping hand to our solo parents.

ALFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

8498

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO SOLO PARENTS AMENDING FOR
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO, 8972, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “SOLO
PARENTS WELFARE ACT OF 2000”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Sections 2 and 3 of Republic Act No. 8972 are hereby amended to
read as follows:

"SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to
promote the family as the foundation of the nation, strengthen its
solidarity and to ensure its total development. Towards its end, it shall
develop a comprehensive program of services for solo parents and their
children to be carried out by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH), the
{Dep Bal Cul t—SportsDepartment of
Education(DepEd), the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the
National Housing Authority (NHA), the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE), and other related government and non-
government agencies.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms - Whenever used in this Act, the
following terms shall mean as follows:

a) "Solo Parent” ~ any individual who falls under any of the
following categories:

(1) A woman who gives birth as a result of rape and other
crimes against chastity even without a final conviction of the
offender: Provided, That the mother keepsfand-raises} the
child and bears sole and lone parenting responsibility;


XXX;

(3) Parent{left-sele-oralone-with}who bears sole and
lone parenting responsibilityfefparentheod} while the
spouse is detained or is serving sentence for a criminal
conviction for at leastfone-(4}-year}six (6) months;

XXX;

(5) Parent fleft-sele-or-alone-withthe}who bears sole
and lone parenting responsibilityfef-parentheod} due to
legal separation or de facto separation from spouse for at

leastfone-4)-year}six (6) months, as long as the/she}the

solo parent is entrusted with the custody of the children;
XXX;

(7) Parent{left-selo-or-alone-with-the}who bears sole
and lone parenting responsibility fof parentheod} due to
abandonment of spouse for at leastfone-(}-year}six (6)
months;

XXX;

(9) Any fotherjlegal guardian, adoptive or foster
parent who solely provides parental care and support to a
child or children;fand}

XXX; and

(11) Parent who bears solo and lone parenting
responsibility due to the disability or incapacity of the
other spouse to be employed at least six (6) months;

XXX

e) “Flexible work schedule” - is the right granted to a solo parent
employee to vary {his-or-herjthe arrival and departure time
in the officeor employment without affecting the core work
hours as defined by the employer.”

SECTION 2, Sections 4 and 5 of the Act are hereby amended to read as follows:

“SECTION 4, Criteria for Support - Any solo parent whose
income in the place of domicile falls below the poverty threshold as set
by the  {NationalEconomie—and—Develop thority
(NEDA}jNational Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB),fand} subject
to the assessment of the {PSWD-workerjcity or municipal social
welfare and development officer in the area where the solo parent



resides, shalll be eligible for assistance: Provided, however, That any solo
parent whose income is above the poverty threshold shall enjoy the
benefits mentioned in sections 6, 7 and 8 of this Act.

SECTION 5.Comprehensive Package of Social Development and
Welfare Service - A Comprehensive package of social development and
welfare services for solo parents and their familiesfwil}jshall be
developed by the{PSWD}Secretary of the Social Welfare and
Development, in coordination with the DOH, {DEGS}DepEd, CHED,
TESDA, DOLE, NHA,and}DILG, Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA), Civil Service Commission (CSC),
National Council of Women in the Philippines (NCWP), Union of
Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP),{in-coordination-with}
local governments units and a non-governmental organization with
proven track record in providing services for solo parents.

XXX”

CTION 3, Section 8, 9 and 10 of the same Act are hereby amended to read as

“SECTION 8. Parental Leave - In addition to leave privileges
under existing laws, parental leave of not more than seven (7) working
days every yearshall be granted to any solo parent employee who has
rendered service of at leastfone(1)-yeax}six (6) months.

SECTION 9, Educational Benefits -The{PB¢S}DepEd, CHED and
‘TESDA shall provide the following benefits and privileges.

(1) Scholarship programs for qualified solo parents and their
children in institutions of basic, tertiary, and technicalf4or
vocational skills education; and

XXX

SECTION 10. Housing Benefits - Solo parents shall be given
allocation in housing projects and shall be provided with liberal terms
of payment on said government low-cost housing projects in
accordance with housing law provisions prioritizing applicants below
the poverty line as declared by the{NEDAJNSCB.'

SECTION 4. New sections to be denominated as Sections 13, 14, 15 and 16 are
hereby added to read as follows:

“SECTION 13 Solo Parent Identification Card (SPIC) - Upon
qualification and submission of proper documents, an identification
card approved by the local chief executive where the solo parent


resides, shall be issued to the qualified solo parent by the city or
municipal social welfare and development officer.

SECTION 14. Additional benefits - A solo parent shall be entitled
to the following additional benefits:

a) Ten percent (10%) discount on children's clothing
materials for all purchases made within two (2) years
from the birth of the child of the solo parent;

b) Fifteen percent (15%) discount on baby’s milk, food and
food supplement for all purchases made within two (2)
years from the birth of the child of the solo parent; and

C) Fifteen percent (15%) discount on all purchases of the
solo parent of medicines and other medical supplement
or supplies that shall be used by the child who is five (5)
years old and below.

To avail of these benefits, the solo parent shall submit or present
the solo parent identification card and the birth certificate of the child
or other evidence of entitlement.

The corporation or business establishment that gives a discount
to the solo parent in accordance with this section shall be entitled to
claim the discount given as a business expense subject to proper
recording and documentation.

SECTION 15. Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring
Committee ~ A special inter-agency committee hereinafter referred to
as the Committee, shall be established to coordinate and monitor the
implementation of this Act. The Committee which shall be constituted
within ninety (90) days upon the effectivity of this Act shall be
composed of the following:

A) DSWD Secretary as Chair;

B,) DOH Secretary or any authorized representative;

C) — DedEd Secretary or any authorized representative;

D.) DOLE Secretary or any authorized representative;

E,) _ DILG Secretary or any authorized representative;

F) DTI Secretary or any authorized representative;

G) Commissioner of the BIR or any authorized
representative;

1) Chairperson of the CHED or any authorized
representative;

1) Chairperson of the CSC or any authorized representative;

J.) Chairperson of the NCWP or any authorized
representative;

K) Director General of the NEDA or any authorized
representative;



L) General Manager of the NHA or any authorized
representative;
M,) — Arepresentative of the ULAP.

The Committee shall submit a regular report to congress on the
implementation of this Act every three (3) years following its effectivity.

SECTION 16. Penalties - Any person, corporation, entity or
agency who refuses or fails to provide the benefits granted to the solo
parent in violation of this act shall suffer the following penalties:

1.) For the first violation - A fine of not less than ten
thousand pesos (Php10,000.00) but not more than fifty
thousand pesos (Php50,000,00) or imprisonment of not
less than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year,
or both, at the discretion of the court.

2.) For subsequent violation - a fine not less than one
hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) but not more
than two hundred thousand pesos (Php200,000.00) or
imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more
than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the court,

If the offender is a corporation, partnership, or organization or
any similar entity, the employees and officials directly involved such as
the President, General Manager, Managing Partner or other officer
charged with the management of its affairs shall be liable therefor.

If the offender is an alien, the offender shall be deported
immediately after service of sentence without further deportation
proceedings.

Upon filing of an appropriate complaint and after due notice and
hearing, the proper authorities may also cause the cancellation or
revocation of the business permit, permit to operate, franchise and
other similar privileges granted to any business entity that fails to abide
by the provision of this act.

Any person who misrepresents status or falsifies any document
to avail of the benefits provided under this act or any person who
abuses the privileges granted herein shall be punished with a fine of not
less than ten thousand pesos (Php10,000.00) but not more than fifty
thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than six
(6) months.

Upon finding by the DSWD that a department agency, or
instrumentality of the government, a government-owned or controlled
corporation (GOCC) or a local government unit, had violated any
provision of this Act, sanctions under the administrative law, civil


service or other laws may be recommended to the CSC or the DILG
against the head of the agency or the local chief executive and the
person directly responsible for the violation.”

SECTION 5. Sections 13 and 14 of the same Act are hereby renumbered as
Section 17 and 18 and amended as follows:

“SECTION {23} 17. Implementation Rules and Regulations ~ fAn
inter-ageney-committee-headed-by}Within ninety (90) days from the
approval of this Act, the DSWD shall, in consultation and
coordination with the DOH, {DBCSDepEd, CHED, TESDA, DOLE,
NHA,fand} DILG, DTI, BIR, NEDA, CSC, NCMF, NCIP, PCW, and ULAP,

fis-hereby-established-which-shall_formuate-within-ninety-(90)-d
upon-the effectivity-of this Act,the-imph e-rules-and-reguh
nsultati ith_thelocal

rn 8
me eople's-organizations} issue the necessary rules
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 44} 18. Appropriations - The amount necessary to
carry out the provision of this Act shall be included in the budget of the
concerned government agencies in the annual General Appropriations
‘Act (GAA) fof the-year-folowing and-thereatter}

Government agencies may utilize a portion of their
respective budget for gender and development programs and
activities to implement this Act.

For purposes of this section, gender and development refers
to processes undertaken by government agencies to address
gender issues and transform structures of society to achieve
gender equality and emphasize the fundamental role or women as
active agents of development and not just passive recipients of
assistance.”

SI ION 6. Sections 15, 16, and 17 of the same Act, are hereby renumbered as
Sections 19, 20 and 21, respectively.

SECTION 7, All laws, executive orders or issuance, or any part of thereof which
are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 8. If any provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional, the
other provision not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulations.

Approved,