Misleading Campaign Ad on VAWC

The circus is now in town and yes election fever is heating up.  Local television networks are filled with different campaign ads.  One of the earlier ads is the one featuring four women/actresses asking the viewer to love her. 

 

“Mahalin mo ako” – Enter frame, young hot and very popular actress.  Then the frame cross fades to another beautiful and popular face saying something about being funny and another wrong reason the love her. Then enter another beautiful face and another sound bite and another. 

Finally the candidate – with a comment on loving women only to confuse the message with an affirmation for women which must have been originally scripted to affirm the role of women and their contribution in society.  Unfortunately, the message fails (to affirm) and it failed miserably. 

The ad’s biggest mistake however is the law on VAWC itself.  VAWC is The Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children   and NOT Anti-Violence Against Women and Children.  The absence of their between and women & children is misleading.  The law after all is a remedy for woman victim and/or her child.  Point is, VAWC per se in not applicable to any child.  In cases of child abuse (of any form) and other violations regarding the rights of the child per se – the law to refer to would be RA 7610.           

The ad said something about women and their role in childrearing and homemaking – and that basically is the reason why – we ought to love women.  The message self destructed right there in then.  The message started on a right note, do not love me for the wrong reasons.  Only to end with a man (the candidate) parroting roles that only reaffirm stereotypes on women all over again.

Then again, I guess we cannot expect a more appropriate ad from a campaign that even fails to get the right and full title of the law that the ad is pretending to promote.

Now back to the solo parent act and the remaining benefits featured in the law.

Section 22. Educational Benefits – The DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall provide the following benefits and privileges:  (a)    (a)   Scholarship programs for qualified solo parents and their children in institutions of basic, tertiary and technical/skills education; (b)    (b)   Non-formal education programs appropriate for solo parents and their children.Section 23. Housing Benefits – Solo parents who meet the eligibility criteria for housing assistance under R.A. No.7279 (Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992) and other related rules and regulations of participating housing agencies shall be provided with liberal terms of payment on government low-cost housing projects, In accordance with housing law provisions, prioritizing applicants below the poverty line as declared by the NSCB.Section 24. The NHA shall make available housing units to solo parents in its housing projects subject to existing disposition policies or may refer them to other housing projects, as appropriate, provided that: (a)    (a)   The identified solo parent must be eligible for assistance under the provisions of this Act; (b)    (b)   Solo parents, applying for housing benefits must meet the qualification criteria for housing assistance under Republic Act 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) and other NHA eligibility criteria under existing policies, rules and regulations; and (c)    (c)   Eligible solo parents shall file their application for housing unit directly with the concerned NHA Project Offices. Upon written request, the NHA shall provide the DSWD a listing of NHA projects with available housing units for disposition. This list shall be updated and provided semi-annually. Section 25. Medical Assistance – The DOH shall develop a comprehensive health care program for solo parents and their children. The program shall be implemented by the DOH through their retained hospitals and medical centers and the local government units (LGUs), through their provincial/district/city/municipal hospitals and rural health units (RHUs). Section 26. Essential Health Packages – To ensure the state of well-being of the solo parent and his/her family, health/medical services shall be made available at all times, in all levels of health care delivery system as mentioned in the previous section. These health/medical services shall be part of the regular essential health packages being provided at various stages of life.

Love According to A Supreme Court Doctrine

Instead of focusing on concluding Republic Act 8972  “THE SOLO PARENTS’ WELFARE ACT OF 2000 this week, allow us to digress a bit to discuss that which generally comes before parenthood.  We’ll at least for some, wittingly and unwittingly many find themselves in the journey to parenthood because of the four letter word called – LOVE. 

In celebration of this commercially driven event called valentines day – we will highlight a unusually romantic Supreme Court Ruling.  Believe it or not amidst the legal gibberish and legal gobbledygook (as a Senator described it) – the high court is capable of dishing out rare thoughts on love.       So much so that in the case of Chua-Qua vs, Clave, 189 SCRA 117 the Supreme Court said:  

“If the two eventually fell in love, despite the disparity of their ages and academic levels, this only lends substance to the truism that the heart has reasons for its own which reason does not know.”

The above quote was lifted in a 1990 Supreme Court decision essentially saying that immorality per se is not a ground for termination of employment.  Accordingly, the act of a 30-year old lady teacher, of falling in love with her student whose age is 16, is not an immoral act which would justify the termination of her employment.   This decision however is not a license for mentors to fall for their students left and right.  The doctrine after all essentially pertains to the illegal dismissal of the teacher.  The Supreme Court noted that the school utterly failed to show that petitioner took advantage of her position to court her student. Another seemingly romantic quote in reference to love in the case says that: But, definitely, yielding to this gentle and universal emotion is not to be so casually equated with immorality.             

In this case it seems that even our honourable justices know when to yield to the power of love.  It must be in the air… Happy Valentines Day! [N1127] 

Solo Parent Act (Part II) – Application Procedure

             The benefits under the Solo Parent Act (RA 8972) do not apply automatically.  Any solo parent falling within the purview of the law may apply for support following Sections 7 and 8 which states that: 

Section 7. Criteria for Support – Any solo parent whose Income in the place of domicile falls   equal to or below the poverty threshold as set by the NSCB and subject to the assessment of the duly appointed or designated social worker in the ‘area shall be eligible for assistance: Provided, however, That any solo parent whose income is above the poverty threshold shall enjoy the benefits mentioned in Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 23 of these Rules. For purposes of the Act and these Rules, the place of domicile shall refer to the residence mentioned in Section 8(a) of these Rules.  

Section 8. Qualifications of Solo Parent – A solo parent seeking benefits other than those provided for under Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 23 of these Rules shall be qualified on the basis of the following:(a)  (a)   A resident of the area where the assistance is sought as certified by the barangay captain. (b)  (b)   With an income level equal to or below the poverty threshold as set forth by NSCB and assessed by a social worker as provided for under Section 7 of these Rules.

          The law further states that an applicant who manifests the need for assistance under the Act is subject to assessment by a social worker at the city/municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. The assessment shall cover, but not be limited to, the following:  (a)  (a)   Determination of the applicant’s category as enumerated in Article III Section 6 paragraph (b) of these Rules; (b)  (b)   Evaluation of the needs of the applicant and his/her children as basis for provision of the appropriate service and intervention;(c)  (c)   Identification of the level of readiness of the applicant to receive a particular service/assistance, which shall serve as basis for the conduct of social preparation activities prior to the provision of such service/assistance; and (d)  (d)   Identification of existing and potentially available resources that may support the applicant and his/her children. (Section 9)  

          The procedure is easy any Solo parent for that matter who needs assistance under the Act shall comply with the following process; 

STEP ONE  (a)   Visit the Social Welfare and Development Office of the city or municipality of her/his residence to manifest her/his need for assistance;

STEP TWO (b)   Fill up application form for the assistance indicating, but not limited to, the following information: 1.      1.      Name2.      2.      Age3.      3.      Address/Area of Domicile4.      4.      Income per month5.      5.      Source/s of Income6.      6.      Number of children7.      7.      Circumstances of being solo;

STEP THREE (c)   Undergo the necessary assessment process as stipulated by law and that may be further explained by the Social Welfare Officer.

STEP FOUR  (d)   A social Case Study Report shall be prepared by the social worker based on the information/data provided for by the applicant, as well as his/her assessment of said applicant, indicating therein the appropriate services needed.

STEP FIVE  (e)   The Social Case Study Report, together with a referral letter prepared by the social worker, shall be forwarded by the Office of the City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office to the agency concerned providing the appropriate assistance/service.  

STEP SIX   (f)    The social worker shall inform the solo parent of the status of his/her application within thirty (30) working days from the filing of such and shall require him/her to visit the agency/institution providing the assistance. In case the applicant is not qualified for services under this Act, he/she will be referred to the appropriate agency/program for assistance.

STEP SEVEN  (g)   Upon the favorable evaluation of the social worker, a Solo Parent Identification Card shall be issued to the solo parent within 30 days upon application duly signed by the city/municipal Social Welfare Officer and the city/municipal mayor. The Solo Parent Identification Card is necessary for the availment of benefits under the Act and these Rules. Such Identification Card shall be valid for only one (1) year, but may be renewed subject to a new assessment and evaluation;

STEP EIGHT  (h)   For the public’s information and guidance, a list of persons who applied and those who were able to avail of the benefits under this Act shall be made available by the concerned city/municipal social welfare and development office which processed their applications.         

An applicant does not have to know the 8-step process by heart.  The most important act is to take the first step of making a little effort to go through STEP ONE.  The step which required the solo parent to visit the Social Welfare and Development Office of the city or municipality of her/his residence to manifest her/his need for assistance.  Just be prepared to bring the documents mentioned in this article.