TACLOBAN CITY — In a continued effort to support solo parents, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), this city, held an information and Serbisyo Caravan on April 21 as part of the city’s observance of Solo Parents Week.
In an interview, Jo-Ann A. Luna, focal person of the family and community welfare program, stated that the event was organized in line with the local government unit’s mandate to celebrate Solo Parents Week, traditionally held during the third week of April. This year, however, the schedule was adjusted to a later date to avoid coinciding with Holy Week.
“One of the objectives of the caravan is the implementation of Republic Act 11861, which is the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act,” Luna said. “We invited different stakeholders who are critical in implementing the said Republic Act 11861.”
Among the agencies present during the one-stop-shop event were the Public Attorney’s Office, PhilHealth, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO). These partners offered on-site services and expressed their commitment to supporting solo parents in line with the new law.
More than 200 solo parents from Tacloban participated in the caravan.
The most common concerns raised during the event included queries about the monthly subsidy, scholarship programs for children, and additional benefits such as nutritional support for children under six years old, including vitamins and diapers.
Reaching solo parents in remote areas is another challenge the CSWDO continues to address.
Luna explained that the city’s 138 barangays have been clustered into 10 areas, each with designated coordinators. These coordinators work closely with barangay officials to inform, organize, and assist solo parents in accessing the benefits and services available to them.
“We have coordinators who go to places and then come up with meetings, organizing the solo parents to make sure they know that we have this program for them, so they have to avail of any benefits intended for them,” Luna said.
One of the major challenges faced by the office is encouraging solo parents to comply with documentary requirements such as the Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR), which some find costly or burdensome to secure.
Despite these hurdles, Luna assured that more programs are in the pipeline as the national government continues to refine and expand support mechanisms under the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.
“Since solo parents have subsidies and other packages from DSWD, we are still in the process of, especially the national, we are still in the process of coming up with other services. In time being, we just have to wait,” Luna added.
(NAPOLEON JASPER BALTAR, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
