More than 5,000 solo parents from different solo parents associations (SPAs) in  Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Romblon joined the Launching of the National Solo Parents Day held recently at  Quezon Memorial Circle.  The SPAs called for the immediate enactment of a law that will stipulate additional rights and benefits for solo parents.

According to Lito Alcaraz, President of the Bulacan Confederation of Solo Parents Inc. the solo parents sector recognizes the passage of HB 6184 by the Lower House on June 2012. The Bill carries additional benefits for solo parents such as 10 to 15 percent discount on milk, diapers, and vitamins to be granted to solo parents with children five years old and below; and decrease of  waiting period from one year to six months for a separated and/or abandoned spouse to be declared a legitimate solo parent.

However, Alcaraz explained that solo parents pointed out other important benefits that need to be included in the proposed amendments to RA 8972. These are equal access to employment and educational opportunities, reduction of taxes of employed solo parents, discounts in tuition fees for children of solo parents (at least 10% discount), scrapping of the “No payment of tuition, no exam policy” of private schools, and scholarship programs for solo parents and their children.

A group of solo parents from Romblon said, “We came all the way here to join our fellow solo parents in lobbying to our legislators to include our additional proposed amendments. Marami sa atin ang may mga pinapaaral na anak na anim na taong gulang pataas, sa elementarya, high school at college at hindi naman sila makakasama sa mga benepisyong nakasaad sa HB 6184 dahil limitado lang ito sa five years old and below, sana naman ay mapagtuunan din ito ng pansin, lalo na ang mga educational benefits para sa mga anak ng solo parents,” (There are numerous solo parents who have children six years old and above enrolled in elementary, high school and college. They are not covered in HB 6184 because it is limited to children of solo parents five years old and below. We are hoping this will be given due attention, particularly the educational benefits for our older children.”) 

Another group of solo parents from Barangay Krus na Ligas, Quezon City, the 4Ks Solo Parents Association, added, “Masaya kami na makiisa sa okasyon na eto, dahil first time na nagsama-sama ang napakaraming solo parents upang maisatinig ang ating mga hinaing,” (We are very happy to join this event because this is the first time that so many solo parents gathered to make our voices heard.)

The event, spearheaded by the Bulacan Confederation of Solo Parents Inc. and Nain Foundation, with the support of the DSWD, was dubbed as “Nag-iisang Ikaw,” with the theme, “Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity.”

The event highlighted the formal launching of the partnership between the Solo Parents Confederation of Bulacan, Inc. and NAIN Foundation and the signing of the resolution “Declaring Last Saturday of April as Solo Parents Day.” Estelito Alcaraz, Ms. Lizel Po and Ms. Carina A. Javier, presidents of the Solo Parents Confederation of Bulacan, Nain Foundation, and the DSWD Central Office Solo Parents Group signed the resolution.

“We are hopeful that the National Solo Parents Day will become an annual event by virtue of a Presidential Proclamation to further strengthen advocacy on the rights and welfare of solo parents,” the leaders of the solo parents organizations said. ###