New adoption bill ready for Arroyo's signature
New adoption bill ready for Arroyo's signature
Web posted at: 2/23/2009 8:27:1
Source ::: Philippine Star
MANILA: Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral recently said the bill seeking to shorten the adoption process in the country, now ready for signing by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, is expected to increase the number of Filipino children declared as legally free for adoption.
Child welfare advocates have also welcomed the recent passage of the bill in the bicameral conference committee.
Cabral said the bill simplifies rules for adopting children in the country and changes the process from judicial to administrative.
The measure seeks the transfer of cases involving the declaration of children legally available for adoption from the Family Court to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
"We always maintain that there is no better environment for children than a family," Cabral said in a press conference in Quezon City. Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana said it used to take three to five years before a child could be legally adopted, but with the amendment of the Domestic Adoption Act of 1995, the adoption process can be done in one to two years.
"In the administrative procedure, declaring a child legally free for adoption will take 24 days from the date of filing of petition with the DSWD, while in the court proceedings the process takes more than one year," Gana said.
"They want to adopt babies because they want to feel that they are the real parents," she said. John Boren, president of the Adopted Families Foundation, said that while he welcomed the approval of the bill by Congress, there is also a need to push for the lowering of fees of lawyers who handle adoption cases.