Short answer. Under the original Republic Act No. 8972, the DSWD had to research solo parents' needs, coordinate government and non-government groups serving them, and monitor how the law was carried out. Republic Act No. 11861, the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2022, has since revised the agency's role, so these are no longer its only duties.
What the law says
Coordinate the activities of various governmental and nongovernmental organizations engaged in promoting and protecting the interests of solo parents and their children
RA 8972, Section 12 — Extra Duties Of DSWD. Read the full provision →
What the law says
Monitor the implementation of the provisions of this Act and suggest mechanisms by which such provisions are effectively implemented.
RA 8972, Section 12 — Extra Duties Of DSWD. Read the full provision →
The three duties added to DSWD's role
Section 12 of the original law gave the DSWD three extra jobs on top of its general welfare mandate. It had to conduct research to build up a body of knowledge about solo parents, help define executive and legislative measures for them, and assess whether existing programs were actually working for disadvantaged solo parents and their children. This research duty meant the agency was expected to keep learning about the population it served, not just administer fixed benefits.
Coordinating other agencies and groups
The DSWD was also tasked with coordinating the activities of the various government and non-government organizations that work with solo parents and their children, so that services from different agencies did not overlap or leave gaps. This coordinating role made the DSWD the practical hub for the law's implementation on the ground, since housing, health, education, and livelihood support all came from separate departments with their own mandates and budgets.
Monitoring how well the law was working
The section's third duty was to monitor implementation of the Act itself and suggest mechanisms to make its provisions work better in practice. That gave the DSWD an ongoing feedback role, not just a one-time rule-making job, so it could flag gaps as local offices rolled out identification cards, discounts, and other benefits for solo parents across different cities and municipalities.
Why this list is now incomplete
Republic Act No. 8972 was amended by Republic Act No. 11861, the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2022, which broadened who qualifies as a solo parent and revised the benefits, eligibility rules, and agency responsibilities under the law. The DSWD's functions under the current, expanded program should be checked against that later law and its implementing rules rather than against Section 12 alone, since several of the original sections were repealed and replaced outright.
Where to look for current DSWD duties
A solo parent or advocate who wants to know what the DSWD is doing for solo parents today should consult the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act and the memorandum circulars issued under it, since those documents describe the agency's present functions rather than the ones listed in the original 2000 law. The original Section 12 duties bound only the DSWD itself, not local government units or private employers, who answer to separate provisions on benefits and workplace accommodations. A DSWD office that fails to research, coordinate, or monitor as the law requires does not expose an individual solo parent to any penalty, but it can leave gaps in services that an advocate may need to flag through the agency's own grievance channels or through Congress.
Related provisions
- RA 8972, Section 12 — Extra Duties Of DSWD
- RA 8972, Section 11 — Health Care Programme Developed
- RA 8972, Section 13 — Rules Within Ninety Days