New rules for faster child adoption process signed

abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted 06/01/2009

The adoption process in the Philippines could speed up ith the si!nin! o" the
implementing rules and regulations of RA 9523 at the #epartment o" Social
Wel"are and #e$elopment %#SW#& main o""ice.
#SW# Secretar' Esperan(a )abral* National Statistics +""ice %NS+& ,dministrator
)armelita Ericta* ,ssociation o" )hildren )arin! ,!encies o" the Philippines %,)),P&
President ,tt'. -endol'n -ana* and .nter-)ountr' ,doption /oard #irector ,tt'.
/ernadette ,be0o si!ned the said re!ulations "or An Act Requiring the Certification
of DSD to Declare a !Child "egall# A$aila%le for Adoption& as a 'rerequisite for
Adoption 'roceedings()
1nder the la* the time period be"ore a child is considered abandoned has been
reduced to a ma2imum o" three months "rom the ori!inal minimum o" si2 months.
/ecause o" the ne re!ulations* a child could %e declared legall# a$aila%le for
adoption in less than two months( *efore+ it too, as long as three #ears in court
proceedings for such declaration(

3, 9425 made the declaration of a%andonment of child administrati$e in
nature+- hich no re6uires 0ust a certi"ication si!ned b' the #SW# secretar' instead
o" a 0udicial order.
The ne la also states that the certi"ication issued b' #SW# 7b' itsel"* shall be the
sole basis "or the immediate issuance b' the local ci$il re!istrar o" a "oundlin!
certi"icate8* hich ill be transmitted to the National Statistics +""ice %NS+&.
Requirements
)abral stressed that the shortened time "rame "or the declaration o" abandonment and
le!al a$ailabilit' o" the child to be adopted does not mean that there are short cuts
for prospecti$e parents in su%mitting adoption requirements(
The prospecti$e parents should submit proo" that he or she is o" le!al a!e.
The second is that the parents should be at least 16 'ears older than the child he or
she ants to adopt.
Third is that the prospecti$e parents should under!o "inancial* emotional and ps'cho-
social capabilit' assessments.
The prospecti$e adopted child should not be sou!ht out b' the biolo!ical parent.
79apapadali an! process o" adoption in the sense na mapapadali an! proseso "or
declarin! the child le!all' a$ailable "or adoption. /ut :ailan!an pa rin! dumaan sa
iban! proseso.
RA 9523 amends three earlier adoption.related laws+ namel#/ RA 0552+ the
Domestic Adoption Act of 19902 RA 0343+ the 5nter.Countr# Adoption Act of
19952 and 'residential Decree 6'D7 833+ the Child and 9outh elfare Code(
:isinterpretation and misunderstanding of RA 9523
3epublic ,ct 9425 7,n ,ct 3e6uirin! )erti"ication o" the #epartment o" Social Wel"are
and #e$elopment %#SW#& to #eclare , )hild ;e!all' ,$ailable <or ,doption as a
Prere6uisite <or ,doption Proceedin!s8 amended certain portions o" 3, =442 * 3,
=0>5* and Presidential #ecree No. 605 7)hild and ?outh Wel"are )ode8.
)ontrar' to erroneous reports in the media and the .nternet* 3, 9425 did not turn the
hole adoption process "rom a 0udicial proceedin! under the <amil' )ourts to an
administrati$e proceedin! under the #SW#. RA 9253 applies onl# to surrendered+
a%andoned+ neglected+ and dependent children who are su%;ect to adoption(
1nder 3, 9425* the time period be"ore a child is considered a%andoned has been
reduced to a ma<imum of three months from the original minimum of si<
months. 3, 9425 made the declaration o" abandonment o" child 7administrati$e in
nature8 hich no re6uires 0ust a certi"ication si!ned b' the #SW# secretar' instead
o" a 0udicial order. /ecause o" the ne re!ulations* a child could be declared le!all'
a$ailable "or adoption in less than to months. Pre$iousl'* it too: as lon! as three
'ears in court proceedin!s "or such a declaration.
@oe$er* as Section > o" the .mplementin! 3ules and 3e!ulations o" 3, 9425 clearl'
states* certain adoption proceedin!s in court do not re6uire a 7)erti"ication #eclarin! a
)hild ;e!all' ,$ailable "or ,doption8. These areA
B1C ,doption o" an ille!itimate child b' an' o" his/her biolo!ical parent
B2C ,doption o" a child b' his/her step-parent
B5C ,doption o" a child b' a relati$e ithin the "ourth de!ree o" consan!uinit' or a""init'