ADOPTION in the Philippines is a long and tedious process, involving not just the courts but also other agencies of government. It requires meticulous legal processes to ensure the best interest of the child being adopted, and also the peace of mind of the person/s seeking to adopt a child.
There are several steps, such as the determination of eligibility, attendance in a pre-adoption seminar, filing of an application, matching, pre-placement trial custody, petition for adoption, issuance of the decree of adoption, and post-adoption services.
The government is involved in this process every step of the way. For instance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) requires prospective adoptive parents to attend an adoption seminar during which they are taught about the responsibilities of adoptive parents, prior to the submission of an application to adopt to the DSWD or to any licensed adoption agency.
The Child Welfare Specialist Group matches a child with adoptive parents, considering the needs of the child and preferences of the adoptive parents. After the match, there is a six-month trial custody wherein the child lives with the prospective parents, followed by the formal petition and issuance of the decree of adoption by the court.
‘We believe that the Department of Justice… should take the lead in bringing these nefarious criminal syndicates to justice, and holding Facebook and other social media platforms responsible, too.’
Under Republic Act 11642, adoptions conducted outside the national care guidelines are considered a form of human trafficking and a crime. The penalty for Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act is 20 years to life imprisonment and fine of P1 million to P5 million. The penalty for qualified trafficking is life imprisonment and a fine of P2 million to P5 million.
Article IV, Section 7 of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, states that child trafficking carries a penalty of reclusion temporal (12 years imprisonment) to reclusion perpetua (up to 40 years imprisonment).
Filipinos wanting to cut short the process go to Facebook and other social media platforms where Filipino children are sold in the guise of adoption, where buyer and seller meet, haggle for the price, and kids are sold like commodities – babies, toddlers, and even infants yet to be born.
This criminal activity was reported recently by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) which is monitoring 23 Facebook pages selling Filipino children online in the guise of adoption.
In a briefing on Wednesday, NACC executive director Janella Estrada said the Facebook pages have been reported to the PNP.
“The PNP is currently working on leads and follow-ups. We sent a letter to Facebook Meta Philippines but we haven’t received a reply and (Social Welfare) Secretary Rex Gatchalian committed to help in writing a letter to Meta Philippines,” she said.
Estrada said these Facebook pages have thousands of followers where children are being sold at P10,000 to P100,000 each.
Earlier, the PNP-Women and Children Protection Center rescued an eight-day-old child. The child’s 29-year-old mother Ma. Chariza Rivera Dizon was arrested by the police for trying to sell the baby.
Arjay Malabanan, 37, was also arrested by the police for serving as an agent. Dizon wanted to sell the child for P50,000 while Malabanan added P40,000 for helping to sell the child.
Apart from coordinating with the police, Estrada said the NACC partners with local government units to strengthen the Philippine Foster Care Program.
We believe that the Department of Justice, which is at the forefront of prosecuting cases of human trafficking, should take the lead in bringing these nefarious criminal syndicates to justice, and holding Facebook and other social media platforms responsible, too.
