A solo parent is a two-person job that comes with a different level of responsibility and challenges—from nurturing to financial planning. In the Philippines, an estimated 14-15 million people are solo parents, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the World Health Organization (WHO). However, due to a lack of awareness and information, not many solo parents are able to maximize their rights and benefit from their Solo Parent ID, which is constitutionally guaranteed to them. 

What is a Solo Parent ID?

The Solo Parent Identification Card (SPIC) is the official document issued by the LGU that allows solo parents to access benefits under the ‘Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act’. It allows qualified solo parents to access benefits such as:

• Additional parental leave
• Educational assistance and scholarships
• Cash subsidies
• PhilHealth coverage
• Other government programs and discounts

Who qualifies as a Solo Parent?

An individual qualifies as a Solo Parent under the following circumstances:

Separation from a Spouse or Partner

• Your spouse has passed away.
• Your spouse is detained or serving a prison sentence for at least three months.
• Your spouse has a physical or mental disability that prevents them from fulfilling parental responsibilities, supported by a medical certificate.
• You are legally separated or have been living separately for at least six months and have sole custody of your child or children.
• Your marriage has been annulled, declared null and void, or legally dissolved through divorce, and you have sole custody of your child or children.
• Your spouse has abandoned you and your child or children for at least six months.

Unmarried or Non-Traditional Parents

You may qualify if:

• You are an unmarried mother or father solely raising your child.
• You are pregnant and intend to raise your child on your own.
• You gave birth as a result of rape, regardless of whether the offender has been convicted.

Guardians, Relatives, and Special Cases

You may qualify if:

• You are a legal guardian, foster parent, or adoptive parent solely caring for a child.
• You are a relative (up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity) who has assumed parental responsibility because the child’s parents have died, disappeared, or abandoned them for at least six months.
• You are a senior citizen grandparent providing full-time care for your grandchildren who are unmarried, unemployed, and 22 years old or younger, or older than 22 but unable to care for themselves due to a disability.
• You are a spouse, family member, or guardian caring for the children of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who has been working abroad continuously for at least 12 months as a low-skilled or semi-skilled worker.

Step-by-Step Application Process for a Solo Parent ID in the Philippines

Step 1: Prepare the general requirements

Most LGUs require the following:

• Barangay Certificate of Residency
• Proof of income
• PSA-issued birth certificate(s) of your child or children aged 22 years old and below
• One or two ID photos (check your LGU’s requirements)
• A notarized affidavit stating that you are not cohabiting with a partner or co-parent and that you have sole parental care and support of the child or children

Step 2: Prepare documents supporting your Solo Parent status

Separation from a Spouse or Partner

• If you’re widowed: Your Marriage Certificate and your late spouse’s PSA Death Certificate.
• If your spouse is detained: Your Marriage Certificate and an official Certificate of Detention from the prison/jail.
• If your spouse has a medical issue/disability: A certified medical record of your spouse issued within the last 3 months.
• If you’re legally separated or annulled: A copy of the final court decision (court decree).
• If you are living apart or abandoned: Your Marriage Certificate, an affidavit from two disinterested persons attesting to the separation or abandonment, and a police or barangay report blotter proving the abandonment.

Unmarried or Non-Traditional Parents

• If you’re an unmarried parent: Your PSA Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) and your child’s PSA Birth Certificate.
• If you’re a pregnant solo parent: A medical certificate or record proving your pregnancy.
• If you became a parent due to rape: A copy of the complaint affidavit filed with authorities, a sworn statement that you are raising the child alone, and a medical record of the incident.

Guardians, Relatives, and Special Cases

• If you’re a legal guardian, adoptive, or foster parent: Official court or DSWD papers proving your legal guardianship, foster care placement, or adoption.
• If you’re a relative (up to the 4th civil degree of consanguinity) taking over care: The death certificates of the parents, OR police/barangay records proving that the parents have been missing or gone for at least 6 months.
• If you are looking after an OFW’s children: Your Marriage Certificate, proof of the OFW’s employment/contract, and a copy of their passport pages showing stamps that prove they have been working abroad continuously for at least 12 months.

Step 3: Submit your application

Depending on your Local Government Unit (LGU), you can either apply online or walk-in. Visit your LGU’s official website or official Facebook page to see if they offer an online application portal or downloadable forms. If there is no online option available, go directly to your City or Municipal Hall and locate the Solo Parents Office (SPO) or City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

Inform the staff that you are applying for a Solo Parent Identification Card. You will be asked to:

• Fill out an application form.
• Submit the required documents.
• Attend an orientation or seminar, if required by your LGU.

Step 4: Wait for verification.

Once your application and supporting documents have been reviewed and verified, the SPIC and Solo Parent Purchasing Booklet, if applicable, will be issued within 30 days from the filing of your application.

Step 5: Claim Your Solo Parent ID

The Solo Parent Identification Card is valid for one year and must be renewed annually, provided there are no changes to your status as a solo parent.

Raising a child on your own is no easy task. If you qualify for government assistance and benefits designed to support solo parents, don’t hesitate to take advantage of them. These programs exist to help make the journey a little easier.

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