Termination of registration as a solo parent

Dear PAO,

My friend, K, is a registered solo parent because she and the father of her child were never married, and the child is under her care and custody. Recently, a social worker visited her to conduct some sort of inspection. It seems that K's neighbor reported that the child has been receiving support from his father. Actually, for the longest time, K's child has not received support from his father. It was only around early this year that the father started providing support for the child's needs. Can that be a basis for the termination of K's registration as a solo parent, even if they are still not married and have no plans of marrying one another?

Lenie

Dear Lenie,

Solo parents are provided various assistance and benefits, particularly under Republic Act (RA) 11861 or the «Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act,» which amended RA 8972 or the «Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000,» in order to uplift their status and circumstances, considering the difficulties and unrelenting demands of raising and supporting a child or dependent alone.

An unmarried mother or father who keeps and rears his or her child, providing sole parental care and support to the latter, is considered a solo parent. (Section 4 ©, id) However, it must be emphasized that the absence of a valid and legal marriage between the mother and father alone does not entitle either of them to the benefits provided by the law if it can be established that parental custody, care and support are, in fact, shared by them and that such support suffices to what the Family Code mandates. This is applicable even to those who are already recognized as solo parents, in that, their registration as such may be terminated if they no longer provide sole parental care and support to their child/children. To be certain, Section 16 of RA 8972, as amended, states:

«Section 16. Limitation and Termination of the Benefits of a Solo Parent. – Only a solo parent exercising sole parental care and support of the child or children is entitled to claim the benefits of solo parent under this Act: Provided, That a solo parent shall not lose his or her status as solo parent if the other parent provides occasional assistance and/or