THE REGIONAL Alternative Child Care Office (Racco) XI calls for more parents to apply for the adoption and foster care program as the process has become simpler and less expensive.
Racco Social Welfare Officer II Jacqueline Badua said adoption proceedings are transferred from judicial to administrative through Republic Act 11642 or the “Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act of 2022”.
Signed into law in 2022 by President Rodrigo Duterte, the Republic Act 11642 fast-tracks domestic adoption and lessens the cost of streamlining alternative childcare services.
“At present, once adoptive parents submit the complete documents (to Racco), and will have to wait six to nine months for the issuance of an order of adoption,” Badua said.
Foreign nationals can also apply for domestic administrative adoption provided that they are cleared in their country. They shall be required to submit police clearance from the country where they stayed for at least a year and to secure a residency certificate from the immigration office to prove a five-year permanent or habitual residence in the Philippines.
As of October 2023, Racco XI recorded 55 cases for adoption, 51 were already endorsed to the National Authority for Child Care Central Office in Manila for the issuance of an order of adoption and 23 cases approved an order of adoption.
Under RA 11122 or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act, adoptive parents may avail of administrative proceedings for rectification of the simulated record of the child adoptee provided that the child has been living with them for at least three years before the effectivity of the act and certification of legal adoption is issued by the DSWD.
As of October, the office recorded 28 cases of simulated birth and seven orders of adoption issued. Meanwhile, there are 95 children under foster care which are in the category of orphaned, abandoned, abused, and neglected, and 45 licensed foster parents.
The office is continuously accepting applicants for adoption and foster care programs in the region. Badao urged those who wanted to adopt a child to legalize the adoption status to secure the future of the child.
Racco XI offers free face-to-face adoption orientation every third Monday of the month, and online adoption orientation every last Friday of the month.
