Pasig mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya has pledged to open a dedicated office for solo parents at city hall if she wins in the upcoming midterm elections.

Discaya’s running mate, vice mayoral candidate Iyo Caruncho-Bernardo, announced the construction of a solo parent empowerment center during a caucus in Barangay San Antonio on Friday evening.

“To all solo parents, we know that raising a child on your own is not easy,” Caruncho-Bernardo told local constituents during the event.

“That’s why, if you trust Ate Sarah, she said it’s time for us to have a dedicated office at city hall just for our solo parents, so we can immediately identify their problems and the programs available to support them,” the vice mayoral candidate added.

If elected, Discaya vowed to offer starting capital and training to support home-based businesses such as baking, crafting, and online selling.

She also plans to implement free annual health check-ups for solo parents and their children, as well as access to mental health counseling, parenting seminars, and stress management workshops.

Leadership training for those who want to be active in the community will also be provided, along with skills training in areas like caregiving, computer literacy, and bookkeeping, with partnerships established with TESDA and local businesses for job placement.

Discaya also promised to provide full or partial scholarships for the children of solo parents, from elementary school to college, along with free school supplies and uniforms each year, and weekend tutoring and mentorship programs for academic support.

She also plans to organize an annual “Solo Parent Appreciation Day,” which will include recognition, gifts and free services such as haircuts, massages, and medical check-ups, in addition to community events designed to encourage bonding between solo parents and their children.

Solo parents living in informal settlements would be prioritized for housing programs and offered rent subsidies while awaiting permanent housing, along with counseling on financial literacy to help them maintain their homes.

Caruncho-Bernardo also said that Discaya would push to expand the city’s scholarship program by lowering the average grade requirement to 85, allowing more students to receive assistance from the local government.

“To our parents, I know that your dream in life is to see your children finish their studies,” Caruncho-Bernardo said.

“Don’t we already have free supplies and scholarships? The dream for that scholarship is to increase it, and if possible, allow two members of the family to benefit. The grade point average will be lowered to 85, because our young people are also having a hard time,” the vice mayoral candidate added.

According to him, Pasig is the fourth richest city in the Philippines, noting that the city government allocates an annual budget of more or less P3 billion for education.

“Maybe it’s time that, aside from scholarships and free supplies, all our students should also receive allowances,” Caruncho-Bernardo said.

“Who here would like our students to receive allowances? Even just P500 a month would be a big help to our parents,” he added.