Employed Solo Parents now exempt from PhilHealth contributions starting Sept. 24

Employed solo parents now exempt from PhilHealth cntributions starting Sept. 24

Good news for solo parents working in the public and private sectors in the Philippines. Starting September 24, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) premium contributions will no longer be deducted from their monthly salaries.

This directive was officially implemented after PhilHealth's circular took effect, in compliance with Section 15(c) of Republic Act No. 11861, also known as the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.

Government Subsidizes Employee Share

Under the law, the employee's share of the PhilHealth premium contribution for solo parents in the formal economy will now be fully subsidized by the National Government. Employers, however, will continue to pay their counterpart share.

The implementation was confirmed during the Department of Health (DOH) budget deliberations in the House of Representatives. Responding to an inquiry by Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal, Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia confirmed on behalf of DOH and PhilHealth that the exemption officially rolled out on Thursday, September 24.

BH Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera, a principal author of RA 11861, celebrated the development, calling it a hard-fought victory and a "gift from PhilHealth" to working solo parents.

Other Expanded Privileges Under RA 11861

Aside from the PhilHealth contribution exemption, the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act provides a comprehensive package of privileges to help alleviate the financial and emotional burden of raising children alone. These include the following detailed benefits:

• 7-Day Parental Leave: Solo parents are entitled to an additional seven (7) working days of paid leave every year to attend to parental duties, such as caring for a sick child or attending school events. This is on top of standard vacation and sick leaves. To qualify, the employee must have worked for their employer for at least six months. Note that this leave is non-cumulative and cannot be converted to cash if unused.
• ₱1,000 Monthly Cash Subsidy: A financial aid distributed by the Local Government Unit (LGU). This benefit is means-tested, meaning it is strictly allocated for solo parents earning minimum wage or those whose income falls below the poverty threshold.
• 10% Discount and VAT Exemption: This discount applies to essential goods for child-rearing, specifically: infant formula or baby's milk, food, micronutrient supplements, sanitary diapers, and prescribed medicines. It covers children from birth up to 6 years old. To qualify for this discount, the solo parent must have an annual income of less than ₱250,000.
• Educational Assistance: The government—through the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)—provides full scholarships for one child or dependent of a solo parent (up to 22 years old). Additionally, the solo parent themselves is given priority access to non-formal education and livelihood training programs.
• Workplace Flexibility: Employers are mandated to provide flexible work schedules or telecommuting (work-from-home) arrangements for solo parents. This allows parents to balance work and family responsibilities better, provided that core work hours are met and productivity is not compromised.
• Child-Minding Centers: The law requires the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to promote the establishment of child-minding centers or daycares within or near the workplace to assist working solo parents.

How to Avail of the Solo Parent Benefits

To avail of the PhilHealth exemption and these other privileges, qualified working solo parents must follow these steps:

• Secure a valid Solo Parent ID and the accompanying booklet from your respective Local Government Unit (LGU).
• Present the ID and immediately update your status with your company's Human Resources (HR) department so they can process the necessary PhilHealth adjustments and update your leave credits.

Under the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act (Republic Act No. 11861), the definition of a solo parent extends beyond just single mothers and fathers. You are legally recognized as a solo parent if you provide sole parental care and support to a child (or children) under any of the following categories:

Categories of Solo Parents

• Unmarried Parents: An unmarried mother or father who keeps and raises their child.
• Pregnant Women: A pregnant woman who is providing sole care for her unborn child, regardless of her civil status.
• Due to Separation or Annulment: A parent left with sole care of the child due to legal separation, de facto (actual) separation for at least six months, annulment, declaration of nullity of marriage, or divorce.
• Due to Abandonment: A parent who has been abandoned by their spouse for at least six months.
• Widows/Widowers: A parent left with the sole responsibility of raising a child due to the death of their spouse.
• Spouse is Incapacitated or Detained: A parent whose spouse is detained or serving a criminal sentence for at least three months, or whose spouse has a physical or mental incapacity that prevents them from fulfilling parental duties.
• Victims of Crimes: A parent raising a child born as a result of rape or crimes against chastity.
• Spouses of OFWs: The spouse, family member, or guardian left to care for the children of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who is away for 12 uninterrupted months, provided the OFW is in a low-skilled or semi-skilled category.
• Guardians and Foster Parents: Any legal guardian, adoptive parent, or foster parent who takes on the sole responsibility of raising a child.
• Relatives: Any family member within the fourth degree of consanguinity (blood) or affinity (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings) who assumes sole care of a child because the parents have died, disappeared, or been absent for at least six months.

Key Rule for Eligibility

To qualify for the benefits and obtain a Solo Parent ID, the child must be living with you and dependent on you for support. The child must be unmarried, unemployed, and 22 years old or below, or a person with a disability (PWD) of any age who cannot support themselves.

Share this good news with your colleagues and friends who are solo parents to ensure they receive the benefits they deserve under the law!