Republic of the Philippines

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

DESIGNATED FAMILY COURT
Branch 2,
Seventh Judicial Region
Tagbilaran City

IN RE: IN THE MATTER OF ADOPTION

OF MINOR AWRA BRIGUELA AND
CHANGE OF NAME TO BABY BEAR
SPECIAL
PROCEEDING
NO. 0143
SPS. PAPA B. BEAR and MAMA D.
BEAR,
Pe
titioners.

x--------------------------------------------------------------x

PETITION

COMES, NOW, THE PETITIONERS, thru their counsel, and

unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully allege the following, to
wit:

1. That petitioners, Papa and Mama Bear, are husband

and wife, of legal age, Filipinos, and residents of #11
Sikatuna Street Tagbilaran City;

2. That petitioners have no legitimate children or

descendants and desire to jointly adopt minor child
named AWRA BRIGUELA, four (4) years of age, who
was born in Brgy. Lourdes, Panglao, Bohol, on
February 14, 2013. Herewith as Annex A is a
photostatic copy of the certificate of live birth of the
minor child, Awra Briguela, and is made integral part
hereof;

3. That herein subject minor, was born at Zamboanga City

Medical Center on December 5, 2012 to MARILOU ROJAS,
unmarried, which proof of birth was duly registered in the
Register of Births of the Office of the Civil Registrar of
Zamboanga City, for which a Certificate of Live Birth was
issued. A machine copy of it is herewith attached as Annex
A;

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 4. That the minor child was admitted to the proper care
and custody of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD for brevity) by his biological mother
together with referring social worker, SARAH LIM of DWSD-
Crisis Intervention Unit located in Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga
City on December 8, 2012. Subject child was referred to their
office by the Medical Social Worker of Zamboanga City Medical
Center (ZCMC for brevity) after being initially assessed that the
mother cannot support the child with all his needs due to
economic and health reasons;

5. That MARLOU was only 2 days old when he was

brought for admission at the center. He was born through
normal delivery and assisted by DR. PIA CENTENO, Medical
Officer III of Zamboanga City Medical Center;

6. That during the interview of the childs mother, it was

found that the subject childs mother worked as a Guest
Relation Officer (GRO) in Fantacy KTV bar along MCLL
Highway, Guiwan, this city, and his father could not be
identified. No further details regarding his family background
was established due to the mothers inconsistent answers to
the questions. Moreover, the referring social worker, MS.
SARAH LIM worked out to submit childs mother for
assessment by psychiatrist but the mother refused as she
insisted to be mentally stable and healthy. Per collateral review
on the given address, it was found that the mother has several
men whom she does not want to identify. She has no relative
living in the city.

7. That during the childs admission in the center, the

mother, was informed of the placement status of the child and
the centers programs and services. She was also advised to
come and visit her son to determine her readiness to assume
the role of parenting. Unfortunately, the mother failed to fulfill
such agreement. In fact, it was her first and last visit to her child
has been deprived of the love, care and attention from his
biological mother since he was two (2) days old up to the
present;

8. That as per Child Study report, the DSWD has

evaluated and recommended that the minor child can be legally
adopted to spouses ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO and ESTER A.
SANTIAGO for the childs best interest and welfare. A copy of
said DSWD Child Study Report is herein attached as Annex
B;

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 9. THAT, MOREOVER, Petitioner is qualified to adopt the
minor child above-named under Articles 183-186 of the Family
Code of the Philippines, as amended by the provisions of
Republic Act No. 9552, the Domestic Adoption of 1998;

10. That, in addition, the adoptive applicants have been

married since June 16, 2007 but they remain childless. The
spouses decided to foster a child to whom they can give their
love, care and affection. On January 10, 2014, Marlou Rojas
from the Child Reception and Study Center for Children at
Talon-Talon, this city, was placed under their custody as foster
child. Attached herewith is a copy of the spouses Marriage
Contract as Annex C;

11. That the DSWD in fact made a Child Study Report on

the case of the subject minor child and in that study report i.e.
social diagnosis the minor deprived of parental love and care.
They maintained that it was the present custodian, who
unselfishly provided them love and the best opportunities to
make the child fully accepted and loved by the family resulting
to a positive parent-child relationship;

12. That, on September 30, 2015, the subject minor was

formally matched to Spouses ABRAHAM and ESTER
SANTIAGO. Last October 15, 2015, the corresponding
AFFIDAVIT OF CONSENT TO ADOPTION by DSWD was
issued and herein attached and form part of the petition as
Annex D;

13. That herein petitioners has the capability and ability to

extend to said minor the kind of financial support that a parent
can give to his child. ABRAHAM SANTIAGO is an Accounts
Officer in the Land Bank of the Philippines while the wife
ESTER is a pre-school teacher at Ateneo de Zamboanga
University Grade School. Attached hereto are the employment
identification cards of petitioners as Annex E and E-1;

9. That it is for the best interest of said minor if they would

be considered as child of herein petitioners because his
financial, spiritual, and emotional needs would be taken care of
and his future would be safeguarded. In fact, the couple owns a
house located a safe neighborhood in Sta. Maria. They also
hired a nanny to take care of the subject minor while they are at
work. Moreover, the mother of Abraham lives with the spouses
who loves the child as much as the spouses. With that, the
DSWD, in its Home Study Report, has strongly evaluated and
recommended that the Honorable Court approve the adoption
of minor Marlou Rojas to Spouse Abraham Santiago and Ester

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 A. Santiago. A copy of the Home Study Report is herein
attached as Annex F;

10. That the spouses are of good character, has no

derogatory record whatsoever can be attributed to them, are
emotionally and psychologically capable of caring for the child,
are more than sixteen (16) years older that the subject minor
sought to be adopted, are in position to support and care said
child in keeping with the means of the family. Attached herewith
are copies of their Police clearances as statements as Annexes
G and G-1;

11. That, at present, the subject minor is now three (3)

years old and has been with the petitioners for two (2) years
now. He has adjusted well in the atmosphere and environment
of his foster family. He is observed to be an active, healthy,
sociable and affectionate child. Generally speaking, his total
growth and development is within the normal level which could
be attributed to the positive, alternative, and stimulating
activities given by the foster family.

12. That the minor sought to be adopted does not own

any real, personal, tangible and intangible property; and

13. That this adoption is for the best interest and security
of the said minor if he would be considered as true and legal
child of herein petitioners and it will make his life normal,
productive, and good persons in the community;

PRAYE R

WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed of

this Honorable Court to grant this petition of Spouses Abraham and
Ester Santiago for the adoption of Marlou Rojas and for the change of
the childs name to Clifford A. Santiago.

Such other reliefs which the Honorable Court may deem just
and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.

City of Zamboanga, Philippines, January 7, 2016.

FATIMA SARPINA P.
HINAY

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 Counsel for the
Petitioners
MP Tower, Buenavista
St.
Zamboanga City
ROLL NO. 87221 5-
16-10
IBP NO. 896989 1-04-
16
PTR No. 0927798 1-
04-16

(Republic of the Philippines)

(City of Zamboanga ) S.S.
X- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - )

VERIFICATION AND CERITIFICATION

We, Spouses ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO and ESTER A.

SANTIAGO, both of legal age, Filipino citizens, and residents of #54
Lacandalo Drive, Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, under oath, depose
and state:

1. That we are the Petitioners in the above-mentioned case;

2. That we have caused the preparation of this Petition;
3. That we have read and understood its contents and affirm
that they are true and correct to our personal knowledge and
based on authentic records; and,
4. That we hereby certify that there is no other case or special
proceeding commenced or pending before any court
involving the same parties and the same issue and that
should we learn of such a case or special proceeding, we
shall notify the court within five (5) days from our notice.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have signed this instrument on

th
the 7 day of January 2016, in the City of Zamboanga, Philippines.

ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO ESTER A. SANTIAGO

Affiant Affiant

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 SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 7th day of
January 2016, in the City of Zamboanga, Philippines.
Doc. No. ___
Page No. ___ FATIMA SARPINA P.
Book N0. ___ HINAY
Series of 2016 Notary Public
MP Tower, Buenavista
St.
Zamboanga City
ROLL NO. 87221 5-
16-10
IBP NO. 896989 1-04-
16