Solo parents are now entitled to free Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) coverage as part of the expanded economic benefits extended to single parents.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte in the wake of the PhilHealth’s recent release of guidelines for the implementation of the law, also said the state-run insurer issued guidelines last month on the free healthcare services now available for solo parents and their registered dependents.
These services can be accessed through the Solo Parents Offices (SPOs) or Solo Parent Divisions (SPDs) in their cities or towns.
“Alongside a monthly cash subsidy for single parents earning the minimum wage or below, and the 10 percent discount plus exemption from the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) on certain essential purchases, single parents are now entitled to free PhilHealth coverage,” Villafuerte said.
Under PhilHealth Circular 2024-0020, which was published on September 28, both working and non-working solo parents are automatically covered by PhilHealth. Solo parents are eligible to avail of the KonSulTa Package, allowing them and their dependents to register with a PhilHealth-accredited healthcare provider of their choice.
The new law under RA 11861 significantly increases the benefits for solo parents. Among the expanded provisions, it raises the age threshold for dependents from 18 to 22 and broadens the definition of a spouse to include partners in common-law relationships, as defined by the Family Code.
PhilHealth’s automatic coverage aligns with Section 2(a) of RA 11861, which mandates the State to “provide adequate social services, promote full employment, and improve the quality of life.” The law aims to support solo parents by assisting in the provision of basic needs and extending social welfare benefits.
For employed solo parents, premium contributions to PhilHealth will be shared equally between the employer and the national government. The Circular outlines that dependents of solo parents include children 22-years-old and below who are unmarried and unemployed, as well as those over 22 with physical or mental disabilities that render them unable to support themselves.
Villafuerte also highlighted other significant benefits, including a seven-day parental leave with pay for solo parents, regardless of employment status, and priority access to telecommuting programs as part of RA 11165, or the Telecommuting Act of 2018.
Solo parents earning ₱250,000 or less annually are also entitled to a 10 percent discount and VAT exemption on essential items like infant formula, food supplements, and doctor-prescribed medicines for children aged six years and below. Villafuerte noted that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had issued guidelines for implementing these tax privileges last year.
The Department of Health (DOH) and University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) estimate that there are around 14 to 15 million solo parents in the country.
