BURDEOSLAWASSOCIATES

2ndfloor,TheWalk,I.T.Park,Lahug,
CebuCity,
Philippines

March7,2016
Sentbyemail
LinaDuranoKing
Block4,Lot3,PhilamVillage,UpperCarmen,CagayandeOroCity
Re:InformationletterregardingR.A.8552ortheDomesticAdoptionLaw
Mrs.LinaDuranoKing
Greetings!
ForyearsthePhilippineshasbeenapartytotheHagueConventiononProtectionofthe
ChildrenandCooperationRespectofIntercountryAdoption(HagueAdoption
Convention).Therefore,alladoptionsbetweenthePhilippinesandtheUnitedStatesmust
meettherequirementsoftheConventionandtheUSLawimplementingtheConvention.
ThisletterwillinformtheclientaboutthelawandprocessofadoptinginthePhilippines.
ThelawthatgovernsdomesticadoptioninthePhilippinesisR.A.8552ortheDomestic
AdoptionLaw.
InthePhilippines,thereisalimitedlistofpeoplewhoaregiventheprivilegeofadopting.
Section7ofR.A.8552

(1)AnyFilipinocitizenoflegalage,inpossessionoffullcivilcapacityandlegal
rights,ofgoodmoralcharacter,hasnotbeenconvictedofanycrimeinvolving
moralturpitude;whoisemotionallyandpsychologicallycapableofcaringfor
children, at least sixteen (16) years older than the adoptee, and who is in a
positiontosupportandcareforhischildreninkeepingwiththemeansofthe
family.Therequirementofa16yeardifferencebetweentheageoftheadopter
and adoptee may be waived when the adopter is the biological parent of the
adopteeoristhespouseoftheadopteesparent;
(2)Any alien possessing the same qualifications as abovestated for Filipino
nationals:Provided,ThathiscountryhasdiplomaticrelationswiththeRepublic
ofthePhilippines,thathehasbeenlivinginthePhilippinesforatleastthree(3)
continuousyearspriortothefilingofthepetitionforadoptionandmaintainssuch
residenceuntiltheadoptiondecreeisentered,thathehasbeencertifiedbyhis
diplomaticorconsularofficeoranyappropriategovernmentagencytohavethe
legalcapacitytoadoptinhiscountry,andthathisgovernmentallowstheadoptee
toenterhiscountryashisadoptedchild.Provided,further,Thattherequirements
onresidencyandcertificationofthealiensqualificationtoadoptinhiscountry
maybewaivedforthefollowing:

(i)aformerFilipinocitizenwhoseekstoadoptarelativewithin
thefourth(4th)degreeofconsanguinityoraffinity;
(ii)one who seeks to adopt the legitimate child ofhis Filipino
spouse;
(iii)onewhoismarriedtoaFilipinocitizenandseekstoadopt
jointlywithhisspousearelativewithinthefourth(4th)degreeof
consanguinityoraffinityoftheFilipinospouse.

Moreover,R.A.8552alsostatestheprovidestheconditionsforguardianswith
respecttothewardaftertheterminationoftheguardianshipandclearanceof
hisFINANCIALaccountabilities:
Husbandandwifeshalljointlyadopt,exceptinthefollowingcases:
(i)ifonespouseseekstoadoptthelegitimatechildofonespousebytheotherspouse;or
(ii)ifonespouseseekstoadopthisownillegitimatechild:Provided,however,Thatthe
otherspousehassignifiedhisconsentthereto;or
(iii)ifthespousesarelegallyseparatedfromeachother.
Incasehusbandandwifejointlyadoptoronespouseadoptstheillegitimatechildofthe
other,jointparentalauthorityshallbeexercisedbythespouses.
R.A.8552furtherprovidesforthecontentsofthepetitionthatshouldbefollowedand
completedbeforeonecanvalidlyadoptinthePhilippines.Section7furtherprovides:
SEC.7.ContentsofthePetition.Thepetitionshallbeverifiedandspecificallystateat
theheadingoftheinitiatorypleadingwhetherthepetitioncontainsanapplicationfor
changeofname,rectificationofsimulatedbirth,voluntaryorinvoluntarycommitmentof
children,ordeclarationofchildasabandoned,dependentorneglected.
1)IftheadopterisaFilipinocitizen,thepetitionshallallegethefollowing:
(a)Thejurisdictionalfacts;chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(b)Thatthepetitionerisoflegalage,inpossessionoffullcivilcapacityandlegalrights;
isofgoodmoralcharacter;hasnotbeenconvictedofanycrimeinvolvingmoral

turpitude;isemotionallyandpsychologicallycapableofcaringforchildren;isatleast
sixteen(16)yearsolderthantheadoptee,unlesstheadopteristhebiologicalparentofthe
adopteeoristhespouseoftheadopteesparent;andisinapositiontosupportandcare
forhischildreninkeepingwiththemeansofthefamilyandhasundergonepreadoption
servicesasrequiredbySection4ofRepublicActNo.8552.
Thelawalsoprovidesforalienswhowishtoadopt:
2)Iftheadopterisanalien,thepetitionshallallegethefollowing:
(a)Thejurisdictionalfacts;
(b)Subparagraph1(b)above;

(c)ThathiscountryhasdiplomaticrelationswiththeRepublicofthePhilippines;
(d)Thathehasbeencertifiedbyhisdiplomaticorconsularofficeoranyappropriate
governmentagencytohavethelegalcapacitytoadoptinhiscountryandhisgovernment
allowstheadopteetoenterhiscountryashisadoptedchildandresidetherepermanently
asanadoptedchild;and
(e)ThathehasbeenlivinginthePhilippinesforatleastthree(3)continuousyearsprior
tothefilingofthepetitionandhemaintainssuchresidenceuntiltheadoptiondecreeis
entered
Therequirementsofcertificationofthealiensqualificationtoadoptinhiscountryandof
residencymaybewaivedifthealien:
(i)isaformerFilipinocitizenwhoseekstoadoptarelativewithinthefourthdegreeof
consanguinityoraffinity;or

(ii)seekstoadoptthelegitimatechildofhisFilipinospouse;
(iii)ismarriedtoaFilipinocitizenandseekstoadoptjointlywithhisspousearelative
withinthefourthdegreeofconsanguinityoraffinityoftheFilipinospouse.
3)Iftheadopteristhelegalguardianoftheadoptee,thepetitionshallallegethat
guardianshiphadbeenterminatedandtheguardianhadclearedhisfinancial
accountabilities.
4)Iftheadopterismarried,thespouseshallbeacopetitionerforjointadoptionexcept
if:
(a)onespouseseekstoadoptthelegitimatechildoftheother,or
(b)ifonespouseseekstoadopthisownillegitimatechildandtheotherspousesignified
writtenconsentthereto,or
(c)ifthespousesarelegallyseparatedfromeachother.
5)Iftheadopteeisafoundling,thepetitionshallallegetheentrieswhichshouldappear
inhisbirthcertificate,suchasnameofchild,dateofbirth,placeofbirth,ifknown;sex,
nameandcitizenshipofadoptivemotherandfather,andthedateandplaceoftheir
marriage.
6)Ifthepetitionpraysforachangeofname,itshallalsostatethecauseorreasonfor
thechangeofname.
Inallpetitions,itshallbealleged:

(a)Thefirstname,surnameornames,ageandresidenceoftheadopteeasshownbyhis
recordofbirth,baptismalorfoundlingcertificateandschoolrecords.
(b)Thattheadopteeisnotdisqualifiedbylawtobeadopted.
(c)Theprobablevalueandcharacteroftheestateoftheadoptee.
(d)Thefirstname,surnameornamesbywhichtheadopteeistobeknownand
registeredintheCivilRegistry.
AcertificationofnonforumshoppingshallbeincludedpursuanttoSection5,Rule7of
the1997RulesofCivilProcedure.
Wehopethissatisfiesyourqueriesregardingadoption.
Sincerely,
Atty.AlyzaBurdeos
LegalCounsel