Councilor Mylen has proposed an amendment to City Ordinance 99-2018 or the Solo Parent Ordinance to emphasize that the ordinance is for all solo parents regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Once the ordinance is approved, Section 3.a.3. would read as “Any other person, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, who solely provides parental care and support to a child or children.
Yaranon stated that the proposed amendment would give recognition to the members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, etc. (LGBTQIA+) community who are solely responsible for the care and support of a child in their custody.”
“The enactment of this amendatory ordinance will help ease their (LGBTQIA+ individuals) financial burden,” Yaranon wrote in her proposal.
According to her, there has been a rise in the number of families headed by LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Recognizing the presence of children under the custody of LGBTQIA+ individuals, the councilor stated that parenting is not exclusive to cisgenders.
“Anyone can become a parent. These non-heterosexual solo parents, regardless of gender, should receive the privileges heterosexual parents enjoy,” she stressed.
There is a need to expand the existing health and social services in the City of Baguio to advance public health, welfare, and livelihood, augmenting programs for the marginalized and disadvantaged sectors of society, the proposal stated.
Under Ordinance 99-2018, solo parents shall receive at least 10% discount on the following:
purchases of baby’s milk, food, and food supplements for purchases made within a period of three years from the child’s birth; purchases of medicines, vaccines and other medical supplements/supplies for the child for purchases made within a period of 18 years from the child’s birth; hospital bill of the solo parent when his or her child is admitted to a public or private hospital;purchases of school supplies for the child for purchases made within a period of 18 years from the child’s birth; school tuition fees per child studying elementary, high school, or college in either public or private schools/universities; and consultation and laboratory diagnostic fees as well as purchase of medicines for solo parents and their dependents.
Aside from the 10% discount, solo parents shall also be provided other additional benefits such as: training programs for solo parents and their children at the barangay level; Barangay Solo Parent Assistance Desk and other related services; various barangay activities and programs such as Solo Parents’ Day and Solo Parent Clubs or Organizations; death benefit wherein the child of a registered solo parent at the time of their death is entitled to receive P10,000.00 if the cause of death is natural, and P20,000.00 if the cause of death is by accident.
The proposed amendment has been approved on first reading and referred to the Sanggunian’s Committee on Social Services, Women, and Urban Poor for review.**Jordan G. Habbiling
