DSWD to speed up adoption procedures

Publication date: 25 May 2009

DSWD to speed up adoption procedures
Cebu Daily News
Posted date: May 25, 2009

MORE than 50 social workers from the courts, local government units, hospitals, nongovernment organizations, child welfare institutions, child caring agencies and local civil registrars were invited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recently for a consultation workshop on the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9523.

The RA 9523 mandates that as a prerequisite before adopting a child, the DSWD should issue a certification declaring the child as legally available for adoption.

It was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last March 12 to address the pressing issue to immediately facilitate the declaration of abandonment without undergoing the judicial process.

The law allows the DSWD to implement provisions of the act and issue the certification declaring the child legally available for adoption.

DSWD Standards Bureau Director Alicia Bonoan said the department was currently undertaking a series of regional consultations all over the country to speed up adoption procedures.

The outputs and results of the workshops will be consolidated by the Social Technology Bureau of the DSWD for the finalization of IRR.

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