Benefits set for city solo parents

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Solo parents in the city can now avail of additional benefits apart from those given under Republic Act No. 8972 or the Solo Parents' Welfare Act of 2000 with the adoption of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Ordinance No. 99-18 “Providing local additional assistance to solo parents and their children in the City of Baguio.”

Mayor Mauricio Domogan approved the IRR as prepared by the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development under OCSWD Officer Betty Fangasan.

To avail of the benefits, solo parents must be residents of the city for at least one year, have the sole responsibility over their child/children, have no partner as of the time of application supported by an affidavit of two disinterested persons and must have a valid solo parent identification card signed by the OCSWDO and the city mayor along with the solo parent booklet.

As per the approved IRR, solo parents and their children are entitled to at least ten percent discount in purchases, medical, tuition fees and school supplies.

They will also be provided training programs in the barangay level, access to help desks and death benefits.

Purchases cover milk and food supplements for three years from the child’s birth; and medicines, vaccines and other medical supplies for the children for 18 years from the child’s birth and medicines of the solo parents.

“Medicines refers to both prescription and non-prescription medicines approved by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), Dept. of Health (DOH), which are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease in man.  At least ten percent discount on the purchase of medicine for the exclusive use and enjoyment of the solo parent and/or his or her children/children as long as the prescription contains the name of the solo parent and/or his or her child/children.”

Medical covers the hospital bill of the parent and his/her child admitted to a public or private hospital in the city and consultations and laboratory diagnostic fees particularly any procedure conducted for diagnostic purposes like cx-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, blood chemistry, exams, histopathology and immunopathology, hematology, urine analysis, parasitology and bacteriology tests, serology, blood banking and all other diagnostic radiology, clinical laboratory and other exams 

They will also be entitled to ten percent discount in tuition and school fees per child studying in public or private elementary, high school and senior high schools or universities.

Discount in school supplies will also be extended to the child within 18 years from the child’s birth except books, uniforms and other school requirements.

It was clarified that the discount cannot be treated as additional benefit on top of those given to senior citizens and persons with disability so that solo parents who are also senior citizens or with disability can avail of the discount only once.

Training programs will be provided based on the needs of the solo parents and their children while assistance desks will be set up in the barangays by the kagawad in charge of the committee on social services, women and family welfare who will also maintain a data base of the solo parents in their areas.

For death benefits, children of solo parents who will pass on will be entitled to P10,000 if the cause of death is natural and P20,000 if the death is caused by an accident.  This is on top of the P5,000 funeral expenses upon submission of the requirements.

Authored by all the councilors and Vice Mayor Edison Bilog, the measure will penalize those who will deny or hinder solo parents from availing of the benefits with fines ranging from P1,500 to P5,000 and closure of business.

Parents who will falsify documents to avail of the benefits will also be liable to a P5,000 fine or imprisonment or both.