ILOILO City – The adoption process in Western Visayas has been streamlined and made more accessible thanks to Republic Act 11642, or the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act, which was signed into law on January 6, 2022.
This law aims to simplify and reduce the cost of domestic administrative adoption proceedings while prioritizing the best interests and welfare of the child.
The Regional Alternative Child Care Office (RACCO) has been actively promoting these changes, as highlighted by recent data and initiatives.
From January 2023 to May 2024, RACCO declared 47 children legally available for adoption. The breakdown per province is as follows: Aklan (four), Antique (four), Capiz (four), Guimaras (one), Iloilo (17), and Negros Occidental (17).
In the same period, RACCO received 58 petitions for adoption. Iloilo had the highest number with 31 petitions, followed by Negros Occidental with 17, Capiz with seven, and Aklan, Antique, and Guimaras with one each.
Who May Adopt?
According to RA 11642, the following individuals are eligible to adopt:
* Any Filipino citizen at least 25 years old, possessing full civil capacity and legal rights, and at least 16 years older than the adoptee.
* legal guardians
* foster parents
* Philippine government officials and employees stationed abroad
* Foreign nationals who are permanent or habitual residents of the Philippines for at least five years, provided they come from a country with diplomatic relations with the Philippines, and their country’s laws recognize the adoption order and allow the adoptee to enter as a legal child.
Who May Be Adopted?
The law specifies that the following individuals may be adopted:
* a child with a Certificate Declaring the Child Legally Available for Adoption (CDCLAA)
* a relative of the adopter under relevant conditions
* the marital child of one spouse by the other spouse
* a child whose previous adoption was rescinded
* a non-marital child to improve their status to legitimacy
* a child whose biological or adoptive parents have died
* a Filipino of legal age, if treated as the adopters’ own child since birth or minority.
The Adoption Process
Couples or individuals planning to adopt are advised to visit the RACCO office, located within the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI compound in Molo district, Iloilo City.
The office provides a series of counseling and orientation sessions, documentation requirements, and assessments to determine the prospective adopters’ capacity to provide not just financially but also in terms of care and love for the child.
Janice Braseliño, officer-in-charge of RACCO, and Atty. Flora May Alejandro, RACCO’s legal officer, emphasize the importance of these preparatory steps in ensuring that the adoptive parents are fully prepared for the responsibilities that come with adoption.
For more information on the adoption process and requirements, interested parties can contact RACCO directly or visit their office at the compound of the Department of Social Wlefare and Development – Region 6 in Molo district for personalized assistance./PN
