Senate Bill No. 1933 or the Domestic Administrative Adoption Act, which aims to facilitate the adoption system in the country, has passed the second reading of the Senate.
During the period of amendments, Senator Pia Cayetano pushed for the Department of Social Welfare and Development revamp by adding dedicated teams that will only focus on adoption.
The legislator explained that the adoption process in the country is slow not only due to pending court cases but also due to the lack of people in the DSWD who are focused on adoption.
It is common, she said, that DSWD personnel assigned to adoption and foster care are pulled out when there are disasters to distribute relief goods.
“There is not enough attention given to the estimated millions of children who are on the streets in need of either temporary foster care or permanent care through adoption. This independent body, to be known as the National Authority for Child Care, will still be attached to the DSWD and will handle the process of adoption,” said Cayetano.
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Adoption bill passed 2nd reading in Senate
Senator Joel Villanueva also expressed support for the proposal and asked to be the co-author of the proposal.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, thanked fellow senators for their support of the proposed bill.
Republic Act No. 8552, otherwise known as “The Domestic Adoption Act of 1998,” establishes the rules and policies of domestic adoption of Filipino children. This Act was passed by both Houses of Congress on February 13, 1998, and approved by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 25, 1998.
This Act ensures that every Filipino child is provided with love, care, understanding, and security toward the full development of their personality. Only when the biological parents’ care is unavailable or inappropriate, or no suitable alternative parental care or adoption within the child’s extended family is available may application by an unrelated person be considered. However, no direct placement of a child to a non-relative shall be countenanced.
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