ANDA, Pangasinan, Feb. 23 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) launched on Feb. 20 the Strengthening Opportunities for Lone Parents (SOLo Program), which aims to provide support and assistance to single parents in raising their children.

During the launch, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between the department and the local government unit of Anda to initiate the implementation of the program that targets at least 30 single parents in the municipality.

Marcelo Nicomedes Castillo, director of the DSWD Social Technology Bureau, said the selected single parents would undergo technology-aided psychosocial interventions to ensure emotional support, alternative care arrangements, and countering stigma and discrimination.

“This program will establish a parenting and emotional support system for solo parents in their parental responsibilities and harness partnerships among the community to counter stigma and discrimination,” Castillo said.

He said the program will include solo parents residing within close proximity to each other, single parents with two to three children below 22 years old, and solo parents who fall into various categories as described by RA 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act.

Castillo said through the program, long-term partnerships with local government units (LGUs) and the DSWD will be established and preserved in order to effectively provide single parents with community-based services.

Likewise, Baby Jane Flores, a single parent and president of the solo parent association in Anda, expressed her gratitude to the government for their continued support in uplifting the lives of solo parents and their families.

"As a single parent, it is very difficult to live and provide for the needs of our children. I am thankful to the municipal officials and also to our DSWD because they gave us all their support for single parents," Flores said.

Nolibelyn Macabagdal, social welfare officer IV of the DSWD Social Technology Bureau, said the management team will undergo a training in Cebu on March 18, where the behavior change materials will be presented and tools that will be used for the program will be introduced.

“We will conduct case management, provision of assistance, and partnership meetings as well as community sessions such as psychological and emotional support and alternative care arrangements for solo parents’ children from April to December,” she said.

Aside from the municipality of Anda, the pilot testing will also be rolled out in Panabo City in Davao del Norte and Lapu-Lapu City in the province of Cebu. (JCR/MJTAB/EMSA/PIA Pangasinan)