The scene at Rizal Park that hot Saturday morning was typical of any weekend – children running around, their laughter echoing, while parents keep an eye on them lest they hurt themselves or wander too far. Below the huge statue of Lapu-Lapu, a crowd clad in pink shirts and carrying pink balloons sing “I love you anak,” the advocacy song on adoption sung by popular artist, Ogie Alcasid. Earlier that morning, more than a hundred participants took part in the Adoption Love Walk 2013 at the Lapu-Lapu Shrine, Rizal Park, Manila, which ushered in the Adoption Consciousness Week celebration.

Among the participants are adoptive couples, Mr. and Mrs. Kanapi, Mr. and Mrs. Narvaez, and Mr. and Mrs. Siongco. Each couple shared their story on why they chose to adopt.

While her daddy, Mr. Angel Kanapi is co-emceeing the program on stage, three year old Fiji keeps running to and from her mom to her father. Earlier in the program, she was among the bunch of children dancing on the stage, prompting her mom, Florence, to comment, “She’s such an exuberant little girl, and we are really blessed to have her.”

“Adopting a child is the right thing to do”

“I was not able to conceive after our son, Kenzo was born, and we wanted a bigger family, so we decided to adopt because it’s the natural thing to do,” Florence, a certified full-time housewife narrated.

“We adopted Fiji when she was 16 months old in December 2010, coincidentally, our son, Kenzo’s birthday is also in December, so they were able to bond immediately.”

Angel, a hotel manager, and Florence, a former restaurant manager love their children unconditionally.
“We treat Fiji the same way that we treat Kenzo, no difference at all,” the couple emphasized.

How did they go through the adoption process?

“We did not choose our adopted child, we were matched and we are so grateful to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for helping us with the process. It took two years for the adoption to be completed including the six months trial period that the child was placed with us,” the couple related.

We think that adoption works both ways, for the benefit of the child who will not be in an institution anymore and a family who can offer a loving and stable home for such a child,” the couple added.
Their advice to prospective adoptive parents. “It’s about having faith and embracing the adoption process. We have friends who are also considering adoption and we tell them despite their apprehensions, to just go for it because how can you go wrong with something that’s so right,” the Kanapi couple stated.

Journey towards adoption

“We saw that streamer of DSWD advocating legal adoption which was hung in an MRT station and said to each other: this is the beginning of our journey towards adoption,” related Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Narvaez.

Married and childless for nine years, the Narvaez couple said that seeing the streamer was like a sign, that they should consider adoption, hence they wasted no time in consulting the DSWD on how they should go about the process.

“We attended a seminar, and the DSWD staff were all very helpful and open so we were able to complete our requirements in no time at all.” We prefer a baby girl because I am working in an all-girls school and was already thinking of the benefits our daughter will enjoy in the future,” Narvaez couple said.

“From the first time that I saw my daughter, Sheila Marie, I fell in love with her. Our first UBE (ultimate bonding experience) was when I picked her up in Cebu and brought her to our home. The child (Shiela) who was matched to us was in Cebu so I had to travel there and get her,” Mr. Narvaez narrated.
For prospective adoptive parents, it would do well to bear in mind these words from the Narvaez couple: “We decided to adopt not because she will fill our needs to have a child, but because we are capable of giving a child the love and care of a family. Adopting a child is a good deed because we help children in institutions to have a real family who will truly love and care for them despite their differences.”

Supportive family

On the other hand, Mr. and Mrs. Napoleon Alvi and Anna Maria Siongco consider their daughter Maria Lucia or Lucy their lucky charm. “A year after we adopted Lucy on June 16, 2010, I got pregnant,” enthused Mrs. Siongco.

“Lucy, who is now three years old brings us so much joy, and we do not treat her differently from that of our baby boy. We are blessed to have two children,” Anna said.

“Our families, relatives, and friends have all been very supportive when we decided to adopt Lucy,” Napoleon added.

“Adoption is not a bad thing so there should not be any stigma attached to it, because every child deserves a loving family,” this is the parting message of the couple to all prospective adoptive parents.

Lawyer’s help

Aside from the testimonies of the adoptive couples, the program also
highlighted the pledge of commitment of a pool of lawyers who are willing to render legal service for prospective adoptive parents at a minimum rate.

Some prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) are hesitant to go through the legal adoption process because of the legal fees involved, hence to avoid paying the expensive fees of lawyers, they opted for simulation of birth certificate, making it appear that the child is their biological child.

“Our aim is to discourage simulation of birth certificates and encourage childless couples to go through the legal adoption process, thus we thought of forming this pool of lawyers to help PAPs,“ Atty. Melita Liedo explained.

 

Adoption Consciousness Week

The observance of Adoption Consciousness Week on February 18-24, 2013 is the ideal time to strengthen advocacy on adoption. Proclamation No. 72 dated February 3, 1999, mandates the observance of Adoption Consciousness Day on the first Saturday of February. However, to enable a longer time to advocate issues on adoption, the National Organizing Committee chaired by the DSWD agreed to conduct a week-long celebration.

The event seeks to highlight the various issues on adoption and generate public awareness and support for the legal adoption process. This year’s theme, “Love sees beyond differences” focuses on the unconditional love of adoptive parents for their adopted children.
Statistics on domestic and inter-country adoption

In 2010, a year after RA 9523, “An Act requiring certification of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to declare a child legally available for adoption” as a prerequisite for adoption proceedings, was enacted on March 29, 2009, DSWD’s Adoption Resource and Referral Office (ARRO) received 89 applications from prospective adoptive parents or PAPs. This was followed by 112 in 2011, and 96 in 2012 for a total of 297 applications for adoption.

In 2010, 68 children were placed for adoption, 86 in 2011; and 89 in 2012. Based on data on domestic adoption from 2010 to 2012, the DSWD facilitated the processing of domestic adoption cases leading to the permanent placement of 243 children. Currently, there are 2,400 children certified by DSWD as available for adoption.

From 2000 to 2012, the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) has placed 3,972 children for inter-country adoption. ICAB is an attached agency of DSWD created by virtue of RA 8043, Inter-Country Adoption Act, and is the central authority on all matters regarding inter-country adoption.

For more information on the legal adoption process, interested PAPS may call Adoption Resource and Referral Unit, DSWD – National Capital Region, 389 San Rafael Street, Legarda, Manila at telephone numbers: 734-8622; 488-2754, email address: arru_ncr@yahoo.com , www.ncr.dswd.gov.ph or visit any DSWD Field Office nationwide.

PAPS can also contact Kaisahang Buhay Foundation, No. 56, 10th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City at telephone numbers: 911-4180; 912-1159, email address: kbf@kbf.ph , www.kbf.ph and NORFIL Foundation, Inc., No. 16 Mother Ignacia corner Roces Avenues, Quezon City at telephone numbers: 373-3577 to 79, email address: contact@norfil.com.ph , www.norfil.com.ph, Inter-Country Adoption Board, #2 Chicago corner Ermin Garcia Streets, Barangay Pinagkaisahan, Cubao, Quezon City at telephone numbers: 7219781, email address: adoption@icab.gov.ph , www.icab.gov.ph. (story from DSWD Central Office website)