Quezon City:Members of the LGBTQIA+ community may qualify as solo parents under the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act, as the law does not exclude them, a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official announced.

According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Undersecretary and Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Chairperson Elen De Vibar Pasion emphasized that there is no room for interpretation in the law that would prohibit LGBTQIA+ members from being recognized as solo parents. This was stated during a media forum at the agency's Central Office in Quezon City.

Pasion referenced Republic Act 11861, which supports the rights of solo parents by offering social protection and support. The law applies to individuals who solely provide parental care and support under certain conditions, such as abandonment or death of a spouse. This also includes legal guardians, adoptive and foster parents, and relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.

The case of Amanda Alvarez, an LGBTQIA+ member who experienced difficulties in obtaining a solo parent ID in Valenzuela City, was highlighted by Pasion. Alvarez eventually acquired the ID after fulfilling the necessary document requirements, despite initial delays due to a misunderstanding over additional requirements.

Pasion called for increased sensitivity in public discourse regarding issues affecting vulnerable and marginalized groups. Data from the DSWD Protective Services Bureau revealed that 7,259 of the 294,649 registered solo parents in the country are from the LGBTQIA+ community, with the highest numbers in Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), Calabarzon, and Region 2 (Cagayan Valley).