The Seloterio family | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — For some, the adoption process can be tedious as it can take an incredibly long time. But for couple Patrick and Julie Seloterio, who wanted to become parents either biological or adoptive, the process is worth the wait.
Patrick and Julie were trying to conceive and have a child of their own before deciding to consider adoption and become adoptive parents. Unfortunately, fate has not yet permitted them to have their own child.
The couple said the thought of adopting a child was first introduced to them by one of their neighbors, who works as a nurse at the Asilo de la Milagrosa, a child caring agency which is licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Julie and Patrick then went and visited the Asilo de la Milagrosa to inquire about the adoption process. However, one of the nuns there referred them to the DSWD field office 7.
It was around May or June 2017 when they filed for adoption. However, they admitted that adopting a child was easier said than done because the tedious and long process.
“Ang process dugay kaayo siya (the process is very long), but from the very start that we decided to have a child, there’s no turning back,” Patrick said.
Adoption, according to the DSWD, is a socio-legal process of providing a permanent home to a child whose parents “have voluntarily or involuntarily relinquished parental authority over the child.”
According to the United Nations’ Children’s Rights & Emergency Relief Organization, approximately 1.8 million children in the country are “abandoned or neglected,” accounting for more than 1 percent of the total population.
READ: Aging out: The fate of abandoned Filipino children who don’t get adopted
The Seloterio couple waited for five months, after starting the process for legal adoption. After those months, the couple received a call from the DSWD-7 and it was when they first saw the five-month old baby whom they adopted and treated as their own.
“We feel so blessed and lucky to have Trish in our lives. She never gives us any problems. She is very kind, friendly, well-mannered and hopefully she will not change,” Patrick said.
“Thank you Trish for coming into our lives,” said Julie who also said that when the time comes that their adoptive daughter would wish to meet her biological parents, they will support her all the way.
For Julie and Patrick, the adoption process really takes time and can be overwhelming, but for Julie and Patrick, their now 5-year-old Trish is worth the process, worth the paperwork, and definitely worth the wait.
- video from dswd.gov.ph
Legally available for adoption
Concepcion Solera, Social Welfare Officer II at the DSWD 7, for her part, said a total of 810 children were considered legally available for adoption in Central Visayas from 2010 to 2021.
Solera said majority of these children were already underway for adoption either domestically or abroad but the adoption process was still ongoing and pending in courts.
“Legally available for adoption wherein kana nga magexert og effort, exhaust all means pagpangita sa ginikanan or kung naa man poy ginikanan, moprocess pa jud pod og counseling because adoption should be the last option,” she told CDN Digital.
([These children are] Legally available for adoption wherein [the agency] have already exerted efforts, exhaust all means to find the parents of the child or if they have parents, they still have to go through the counseling process because adoption should be the last option.)
Solera said it has been a good development that a new law, the RA 11642 took effect last January 2022 with the goal of making domestic adoption proceedings simpler and less costly.
The new law also seeks to streamline alternative child care services.
“Usahay ang court proceedings muabot og four to five years, but this new law, administrative na jud siya. Gihimo na siyang simpler and di pod siya ingon ana ka mahal kay mao man gud ang sakit sa adoption nga mahal jud ang lawyers kung mangita ka’g legal counsel,” she said.
(Sometimes the court proceedings will reach up to four to five years, but this new law, it is just administrative. It was made simpler and it is not as costly as before because that is the challenge of adoption the lawyers are expensive if you will be looking for legal counsel.)
The new law, she said, would aim to shorten to six to nine months the entire administrative adoption proceedings.
Solera then clarified that regular couples or individuals who would wish to adopt a child could not specifically select a child to adopt unless the child was their relative.
However, they can give their preference in terms of sex, age, and health condition.
“Magdepende na sa assessment kay naa man tay mga edad edaran na nya bata ilang pilion so mo advise pod mi. Kay kung 50 na ka kapin unya imong i adopt kay baby maglisod na baya jud,” she explained.
(It will depend on the assessment because we also have older couples who want to adopt children and we advise them on that. Because if you are 50 or older and the child you adopt is a baby then it will be difficult for you.)
Solera said that Filipino couples would usually prefer to adopt children below three years old, though a few also prefer children at least six to seven years old.
Older children, who do not get adopted domestically, will be cleared for inter-country adoption, she said.
While those, who will not be matched with a foster family either domestic or abroad, will still be supported by the government and the residential facilities for independent living.
They will be assisted in their education until such time that they can find employment.
According to the law, any Filipino citizen or foreigner residing in the Philippines can legally adopt a child as long as they qualify with the following requirements:
- Of legal age;
- At least 16 years older than the adoptee, except when the adoptee is the biological parent or sibling of the adoptee of the spouse of the adoptee’s parent;
- Has the capacity to act and assume all the rights and duties incident to the exercise of parental authority;
- Is of good moral character and has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude;
- In a position to support, educate and care for his or her legitimate children and the child to be adopted, and;
- has undergone pre-adoptive services.
Meanwhile, the DSWD-7 last June 2022 set up adoption help desks at SM Consolacion where they assigned social workers, who were tasked to explain the legal adoption process to couples and individuals who would be interested to adopt a child./with PR
ALSO READ: DSWD-7: 144,157 kids in CV to get food supplies for 120 days
/dbs