MARAWI CITY – The Bangsamoro Government, through the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), conducted a mass orientation here on the Demand-driven and Adaptive Key Actions for Indigent Solo Parents in Leveraging their Aspirations (DAKILA) Program on February 5.

Over a hundred solo parent representatives from the 18 municipalities of Lanao del Sur's first district and Marawi City attended the event to learn about the guidelines of this new program and the salient provisions of Republic Act No. 11861 (R.A. 11861), also known as the "Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act."

Through the DAKILA Program, solo parents who qualify after strict assessment and validation will receive monthly financial assistance and other forms of social support they may need.

"Hindi po lahat ng solo parents ay mapapabilang sa flagship program na ito dahil yun lamang poorest of the poor na beneficiaries ang ating target. May sinusunod din po tayong guidelines at requirements upang mapabilang sa programa," said Bai Yasmira Naga Pangadapun, MSSD’s Provincial Social Welfare Officer for Lanao del Sur-1.

[Not all solo parents will be eligible for this flagship program; our focus is on the poorest of the poor beneficiaries. The DAKILA program has specific guidelines and criteria that applicants must meet for inclusion.]

Members of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), guardians of Kupkop Program beneficiaries, and beneficiaries of livelihood programs like the Unlad Pamilyang Bangsamoro Program are automatically disqualified from the DAKILA Program.

Of the 6,000 target beneficiaries, 1,839 will be from Lanao del Sur.

Rasmiyah Batua, a solo parent of seven children, expressed her gratitude for the newly launched program.

"Panalamatan ak'n a giya BARMM sa giyaya a mga programa iran para sa kapagin'taw ami ago so mga wata ami, labaw ron a giyaya a bago a programa para ko mga solo parents lagid ak’n," she said.

[We are grateful to BARMM for all the programs like this that cater to our well-being and our children, especially this new program that addresses the needs of solo parents like me.]

Participants also received a 10-kilogram rice and grocery package at the end of the orientation.

The Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act was enacted into law on June 04, 2022. It grants additional support and benefits to solo parents, in line with the state's policy to promote social justice. (BIO/PIA Lanao del Sur)