SOLO PARENTS' WELFARE ACT OF 2000

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 8972 (Solo Parents' Welfare Act of 2000)

Declaration of Policy (Section 2)
- Promote the family as the foundation of the nation, strengthen its solidarity and ensure its total development.
- Develop a comprehensive program of services for solo parents and their children.

Definition of Terms (Section 3)
- "Solo parent" is defined under 10 categories, including unmarried parent, parent left alone due to various circumstances like death of spouse, legal separation, abandonment, etc.
- "Children" refers to those living with and dependent on the solo parent, unmarried, unemployed, and not more than 18 years old or incapable of self-support due to mental/physical defect.
- "Parental responsibility" refers to the rights and duties of parents as defined in the Family Code.
- "Parental leave" means leave benefits for solo parents to perform parental duties.
- "Flexible work schedule" is the right of a solo parent employee to vary arrival and departure time.

Criteria for Support (Section 4)
- Solo parents whose income falls below the poverty threshold set by NEDA and subject to DSWD assessment shall be eligible for assistance.
- Solo parents above the poverty threshold shall enjoy benefits in Sections 6, 7, and 8.

Comprehensive Package of Services (Section 5)
- DSWD, DOH, DECS, CHED, TESDA, DOLE, NHA, and DILG shall develop a comprehensive package of services, including:
• Livelihood development services like trainings, seed capital, job placement (Section 5a).
• Counseling services for personal, peer group, or family counseling (Section 5b).
• Parent effectiveness services on early childhood development, behavior management, health care, rights and duties (Section 5c).
• Critical incidence stress debriefing for coping with crisis situations and abuse cases (Section 5d).
• Special projects like temporary shelter, counseling, legal assistance, medical care, self-concept building, crisis management, and spiritual enrichment (Section 5e).

Flexible Work Schedule (Section 6)
- Employers shall provide a flexible working schedule for solo parents, provided it does not affect productivity.
- Employers may request exemption from DOLE on meritorious grounds.

Work Discrimination (Section 7)
- No employer shall discriminate against solo parent employees in terms and conditions of employment.

Parental Leave (Section 8)
- Solo parent employees who have rendered at least 1 year of service shall be granted parental leave of not more than 7 working days every year, in addition to existing leave privileges.

Educational Benefits (Section 9)
- DECS, CHED, and TESDA shall provide:
• Scholarship programs for qualified solo parents and their children in basic, tertiary, and technical/skills education (Section 9.1).
• Non-formal education programs appropriate for solo parents and their children (Section 9.2).

Housing Benefits (Section 10)
- Solo parents shall be given allocation in housing projects and liberal terms of payment on government low-cost housing projects, prioritizing applicants below the poverty line.

Medical Assistance (Section 11)
- DOH shall develop a comprehensive health care program for solo parents and their children, implemented through DOH hospitals, medical centers, and LGU hospitals/rural health units.

Additional Powers and Functions of DSWD (Section 12)
- Conduct research on solo parents, define measures to promote and protect their interests, and assess program effectiveness (Section 12a).
- Coordinate activities of organizations engaged in promoting and protecting solo parents' interests (Section 12b).
- Monitor the implementation of this Act and suggest mechanisms for effective implementation (Section 12c).

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 13)
- An interagency committee headed by DSWD shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations within 90 days of the Act's effectivity, in consultation with LGUs, NGOs, and people's organizations.

Appropriations (Section 14)
- The necessary amount to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the budget of concerned government agencies in the General Appropriations Act.

Repealing Clause (Section 15)
- All laws, decrees, executive orders, administrative orders or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

Separability Clause (Section 16)
- If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Effectivity Clause (Section 17)
- This Act shall take effect 15 days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation.