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Expanded benefits for solo parents pushed

By Jose Cielito Reganit

May 5, 2020, 6:48 pm

<p>Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go</p>

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go

MANILA – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday pushed for the immediate passage of a bill that seeks to provide more benefits and privileges to solo parents and their children.

In his co-sponsorship speech of Senate Bill No. 1411, or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2020, Go stressed that the enhancements introduced to the law aim to provide redress for some 14 million solo parents in the country who are saddled with the hardship of single-handedly raising their children.

“Solo parents are both the breadwinners and caregivers of their families. As such, they should be acknowledged appropriately. As the law now stands, the privileges and benefits awarded to them are insufficient and show a lack of understanding for the complexity of their needs,” he said.

Go, who authored one of the bills incorporated into SB 1411, said among the additional benefits provided by the proposed measure to solo parents include, among others, special discounts on basic purchases, such as clothes, baby’s milk, and food, and medicine.

Children of solo parents will also be entitled to tuition fee discount from public and private schools.

He said employment benefits are also included in the proposal.

“Under the existing law, solo parent employees who have rendered service of at least one year shall be granted a parental leave of not more than seven working days. The proposed measure lowers the required length of service to six months instead and specifies that the leave should be granted with pay,” Go noted.

He said that penal provisions are now included in the amendments to ensure compliance with the dictates of the law.

“I am pushing for these amendments to the existing law to cater to as many solo parents as possible, to help them build a stronger family, and to support them as productive members of society,” Go said, as he urged his colleagues to immediately pass the measure that is one of the priority legislation mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year.

Pakitaan natin ng tunay na malasakit ang ating mga kababayan na patuloy nilang itinataguyod mag-isa ang kanilang mga pamilya (Let us show true compassion to our countrymen who are single-handedly supporting their families),” Go said. (PNA)

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