In continuation of the 2017 Adoption Consciousness Celebration (ACC), national government agencies (NGAs) led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Justice (DOJ) signed a Memorandum of Agreement over the weekend to heighten advocacy efforts supporting legal adoption in the Philippines.

“This celebration aims to intensify the advocacy for the practice of  correct and legal adoption of abandoned, surrendered, or neglected children. We recognize the efforts and important roles of our partners who are engaged in this advocacy,” said DSWD Undersecretary for Special Concerns Virginia Orogo who also serves as the Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB) Alternate Chairperson.

Usec. Orogo also stated that the MOA signing is a significant celebration since the DILG, DepEd, and DOH renewed their partnership with the DSWD to ​beef up  the legal adoption advocacy.  A new partnership will be formed through the inclusion of the DOJ as one of the committed agencies that will help expedite adoption cases filed in family courts.

“We hope that this partnership will continue for the best interest of the children,” Usec. Orogo added

For his response, DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said, “We are ready and open to cooperate, and to make the necessary adjustments and rules in order to fast-track adoption cases.”

Also present in the MOA signing were DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali, DILG-National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) Director Leocadio Trovela, DSWD-Protective Services Bureau (PSB) Director Ma. Alicia Bonoan, and DSWD-MIMAROPA Regional Director Wilma Naviamos.

Commitments of partner agencies​

The new agreement signed by the partner agencies aims to ensure that all local government units (LGUs), health and medical workers, students and teachers, and family court staff especially those who are handling adoption cases are aware of the significance of legal adoption.

Specifically, the DILG is designated to hold seminars or fora on alternative parental care programs from their field offices, cities/municipalities, and the barangay level. They are also assigned to supervise LGUs to ensure that all surrendered, neglected, or abandoned children will be assessed and declared legally available for adoption by the DSWD before the issuance of the placement for adoption.

For the part of the DOH, they are assigned to conduct orientation on alternative parental care programs to staff of hospitals and birthing facilities to raise their awareness on how to handle cases of children left in birthing facilities. In addition, the DOH must also ensure that all health and medical facilities have trained and capable staff who are able to handle and provide services for children and parents at risk of abandoning or surrendering their children for adoption in order to prevent birth simulation.

The DepEd will include adoption and other forms of alternative family care and child placement as a subject matter in school curriculums and conduct adoption awareness activities in schools such as the upcoming Poster Making Contest for Grades 7 to 9 students which will be held in the middle of the year.

Lastly, the DOJ is expected to help prioritize and expedite adoption cases in family courts through the Office of the Solicitor General and to provide legal services to families who wish to pursue legal adoption through the Public Attorney’s Office.

Aside from the MOA signing, representatives from child placement agencies, adoptive parents, child adoptees, and adoption advocates participated in a Regional Conference on Adoption to discuss their challenges and recommendations to participating government agencies in order to improve the process of legal adoption in the country. #