BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES OF SOLO PARENTS (RA 8972)

Republic Act (R.A.) No. 8972 is also known as the Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000. However, it does
not mean that the provisions of the said law are only exclusively applicable to parents. Aside from parents
who were left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood, Section 3 (a) of R.A. No. 8972 defines
the term solo parent as: x x x (9) Any other person who solely provides parental care and support to a
child or children; (10) Any family member who assumes the responsibility of head of family as a result of
the death, abandonment, disappearance or prolonged absence of the parents or solo parent.
Furthermore, the privileges afforded by R.A. No. 8972 are not only for the promotion of the welfare of
minor children. The term children is explicitly defined under the law as those living with and dependent
upon the solo parent for support, who are unmarried, unemployed and not more than eighteen (18) years
of age, or even over eighteen (18) years but are incapable of self-support because of mental and/or
physical defect/disability (Section 3 (b), id).
Taking these into consideration, we believe that you may be entitled to the benefits and privileges granted
under the Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000 notwithstanding the fact that your niece is already 20 years
old, provided that her physical defect or disability has rendered her incapable not only of walking but of
self-support. Moreover, the provisions of the said law may apply to you even if you are not in fact a
parent, provided that your niece is actually living with you and is solely dependent upon you for parental
care and support.
Should you be able to establish these factors, you may avail yourself of the parental leave and a flexible
work schedule as long as the same do not affect your individual productivity and that of the company
(Sections 8 and 6, id). You may also avail yourself of the educational benefits being given by the
Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), as well as allocations in low cost housing projects and
medical assistance, if so qualified (Sections 10 and 11, id).

PARENTAL LEAVE FOR SOLO PARENTS

Sino ang pwedeng mag-avail ng parental leave?
Sa pamahalaan, entitled sa parental leave ang mga sumusunod:
Babaeng empleyado na nagsilang ng anak na bunga ng rape, kahit wala pang hatol sa
offender o nagkasala (dapat kupkupin at palakihin ng babaeng empleyado na ito ang bata);
Magulang na naiwang mag-isa sa pagpapalaki ng kanyang anak dahil sa pagkamatay ng
asawa, pagkakakulong ng asawa, pagkabaliw ng asawa, legal separation, annulment ng
kasal, o pag-abandona sa kanya ng asawa ng hindi bababa sa isang taon;
Sinumang may anak ngunit hindi kasal at nais na kupkupin ang kanyang anak imbis na
ipa-alaga ito sa iba;
Sinumang mag-isang nagbibigay ng parental care and support sa isa o higit pang bilang ng
bata (ang taong ito ay kailangang may kaukulang lisensya bilang foster parent mula sa
DSWD o kaya ay duly appointed legal guardian ng korte);
Family member na nagsisilbing head of the family bunga ng pagkamatay, abandonment,
disappearance o prolonged absence ng mga magulang na tumagal ng isang taon.
Para makapag-avail ng parental leave, dapat ang isang solo parent ay nakapag-serbisyo na
sa pamahalaan nang hindi bababa sa isang taon, regardless of employment status (i.e.
permanent, casual, temporary).
Naga-apply rin ba ito sa mga solo parents na lalake?
Oo. Babae man o lalaking solo parent, basta pasok sa criteria na nabanggit, ay maaaring
bigyan ng parental leave.
Bakit binibigyan ng batas ang mga solo parents na magkaroon ng special leave
benefits?
Mahalaga para sa bawat magulang na magkaroon ng sapat na panahon para sa kanilang
mga anak, ngunit hindi ito madali kapag sinasabayan ito ng mga obligasyon sa trabaho. Ano
pa kaya kung ikaw ay nag-iisa lang sa pagpapalaki ng anak?

Binibigyan ng parental leave ang mga solo parents sa pamahalaan upang magkaroon sila ng
higit na panahon para gampanan ang parental duties nila, lalo na sa mga sitwasyon na
hinihingi ang kanilang physical presence.
Ilang araw ang ibinibigay na parental leave? Sa aling mga pagkakataon ito
pwedeng gamitin?
Pitong (7) araw sa isang taon ang ibinibigay na parental leave ayon sa guidelines ng CSC.
Pwede itong ma-avail sa mga sumusunod na pagkakataon:
Personal milestones ng bata (i.e. kaarawan, first communion, graduation);
Pagdalo sa PTA meetings or school programs;
Pag-asikaso sa medical, social, spiritual and recreational needs ng bata;
At iba pang circumstances kung saan required ang physical presence ng tumatayong
magulang.
Paano ang proseso ng pag-avail nito?
Kumuha ng Solo Parent Identification Card mula sa City or Municipal Social Welfare and
Development Office. Ang ID Card na ito ay valid for one year at renewable kada taon.
Sagutan ang CS Form No. 6 at i-submit ito kasama ng certified true copies ng Solo Parent
ID at birth certificate ng bata (at least one week prior to availment)
Mandatory ang approval ng application for parental leave mula sa Head of Office/Agency
basta valid at nasunod lahat ng conditions at requirements.
Paid leave ba ito?
Opo, ibig sabihin makakakuha ng sweldo ang solo parent sa mga araw na pinili niyang i-avail
ang kanyang parental leave.
Paano kung hindi naubos ng solo parent ang pitong araw na special leave niya,
maaari pa ba itong gamitin sa susunod na taon?
Hindi, forfeited na ito.
Paano kung ang isang solo parent ay nakapag-asawa, maaari pa ba siyang magapply ng parental leave?
Mate-terminate ang parental leave kung nagkaroon ng pagbabago sa status o sa sitwasyon
ng pamilya ng isang solo parent. Halimbawa, nag-asawa siya o ang responsibilidad ng
pagpapalaki sa bata ay nailipat na sa kamag-anak o sa isang welfare institution.

WHAT ARE THE EMPLOYMENT-RELATED BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO

ALL SOLO PARENTS?
Flexible work schedule. This refers to the right of a solo parent employee to
vary his/her arrival and departure time without affecting the core work hours
as defined by the employer. The employer shall provide for a flexible working
schedule for solo parents, as long as it shall not affect individual and
company productivity. In case of certain meritorious grounds, the employer
may request exemption from DOLE.
No work discrimination. Employer are prohibited from discriminating against
any solo parent employee with respect to terms and conditions of
employment on account of his/her status.
Parental leave. Parental leave means leave benefits granted to a solo
parent to enable him/her to perform parental duties and responsibilities
where physical presence is required. In addition to leave privileges under
existing laws, parental leave of not more than seven (7) working days every
year shall be granted to any solo parent employee who has rendered service
of at least one (1) year with full pay, consisting of basic salary and
mandatory allowances.
Section 7 of RA 8972 provides that no employer shall discriminate against any
solo parent employee with respect to terms and conditions of employment on
account of his/her status.
Who are considered as children of a Solo Parent?
Children refer to those living with and dependent upon the solo parent for
support who are unmarried, unemployed and not more than eighteen (18)
years of age, or even over eighteen (18) years but are incapable of selfsupport because of mental and/or physical defect/disability.

Conditions for Entitlement for the Solo Parent Benefit:

A solo parent employee shall be entitled to the parental leave under the
following conditions:
1. He/she has rendered at least one (1) year of service, whether continuous
or broken;
2. He/she has notified his/her employer that he/she will avail himself/herself
of it, within a reasonable period of time; and
3. He/she has presented to his/her employer a Solo Parent Identification
Card, which may be obtained from the DSWD office of the city or municipality
where he/she resides.
Other important notes:
This benefit is not convertible to cash if not availed of by the employee.
Emergency or contingency leave provided under a company policy or a
collective bargaining agreement shall not be credited as compliance with the
parental leave provided for under RA 8972.
A change in the status or circumstance of the parent claiming the benefit
under the law, such that he/she is no longer left alone with the responsibility
of parenthood, shall terminate his/her eligibility for this benefit.
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