The government should help lessen the financial burden being shouldered by solo parents by affording them additional remuneration to be able to provide a better future for their children.

Senator Loren Legarda stressed this after filing Senate Bill No. 1439 or the “Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2010” which intends to add the following support and benefits to solo parents:

• Ten percent discount from all purchases of clothing and clothing materials for the child for two years from child birth.
• Fifteen percent discount from all purchases of baby’s milk, food and food supplements.
• Fifteen percent discount from all purchases of medicines and other medical supplements/supplies for the child.
• Basic personal exemption from individual income tax.

The Legarda bill defines a “solo’’ parent as one who is left alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to death, detention, mental incapacity or legal separation with spouse. “Solo parent’’ also refers to women who became pregnant due to abuse.

“Double hardship saddles solo parents. They perform parental duties single-handedly in the face of economic turmoil that is characterized by skyrocketing prices, poverty and massive unemployment,’’ she said.

Legarda stressed the need to amend Republic Act 8972, also known as Solo Parent’s Welfare Act to address the financial concerns of solo parents amid the economic difficulties that the country is experiencing.