TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary Isidro Lapeña gave assurances that his agency is willing to add solo parents to the agency’s special clients like Indigenous People, farmers, overseas Filipino workers and the marginalized sector.

“TESDA is ready to help our solo parents and their children and become part of the TESDA community as among our ‘kaTESDA’. Like our other kaTESDA, they also deserve to be empowered just like what we do to help our special clients,” Lapeña said.

The TESDA chief is glad that the House of Representatives approved House Bill 8097 or “An Act Granting Additional Benefits to Solo Parents” which amends Republic Act No. 8972 or the “Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000″.

The legislators passed on third and final reading HB 8097 on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 voting 208-0-0.

Lapeña said that TESDA is ready to work with other government agencies in formulating suitable programs for solo parents once the final bill is enacted into law.

“We are looking forward to the Senate’s version of the bill,” he added.

HB 8097 mandates eight government agencies including TESDA, to develop a comprehensive package of social development and welfare services for solo parents and their children.

With the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education, TESDA was designated to provide educational benefits like scholarship programs for qualified solo parents and their children in institutions of basic, tertiary, and technical/skills education.

These agencies shall also promulgate rules and regulations for the proper implementation of the program.

The bill also requires government agencies to form an inter-agency committee to be headed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development which will formulate implementing rules and regulations in consultation with the local government units, non-government organizations, and people’s organizations.