Up to 48 Facebook accounts are allegedly used for the illegal adoption of infants and young children in the country.
Because of this, 5th District Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas filed House Resolution 1555 for the House to investigate it.
Vargas said that it was the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that sent him the said illegal adoption scheme using social media, particularly Facebook.
According to solon, the proliferation of illegal adoption on social media platforms poses a danger to infants and children looking for a family to take care of them while insisting that it is a violation of Republic Act No. 8552.
The DSWD is also closely monitoring whether the adopters have the capacity to support and give a good future to the children they adopt.
In March 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law that will make the legal adoption of children simpler.
Adoption in the Philippines
The President signed on Feb. 21 Republic Act 11222 or the “Simulated Birth Rectification Act.”
Under the law adopters must:
(a) Be Filipino citizens;
(b) Be of legal age;
(c) Possess full civil capacity and legal rights;
(d) Be of good moral character;
(e) Have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude;
(f) Be emotionally and psychologically capable of caring for children; and
(g) Be in a position to support and care for the child in keeping with the means of the family.
In case of adoption by a married couple, where one of the adopters is a foreign national married to a Filipino, the foreign national must have been residing in the Philippines for at least three (3) continuous years prior to the filing of the petition for adoption and application for rectification of simulated birth record.
After being properly counseled and informed of the right to give or withhold approval of the adoption, the written consent of the following shall be required:
(a) The adoptee, if ten (10) years of age or over;
(b) The legitimate and adopted daughters and sons, ten (10) years of age or over, of the adopter and adoptee, if any;
(c) The illegitimate daughters and sons, ten (10) years of age or over, of the adopter if living with said adopter and the latter’s spouse, if any; and
(d) The spouse, if any, of the adoptee.