DSWD moves to stop commoditization of children on social media

To stop children from being treated as a “commodity” on social media, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is pushing to make adoption an administrative process instead of a court proceeding.

Secretary Virginia Orogo explained in a statement on Thursday that compared to legal adoption, which protects and provides neglected and abandoned children’s inherent rights, adoption facilitated through social media channels is a “violation of children’s rights”.

The DSWD said 25 fraudulent Facebook accounts offering illegal adoption services have already been reported to authorities as of May 2018.

“No children should be treated as a commodity which can be bought online or anywhere else,” the secretary said.

The agency reiterated that its adoption services are free, except for fees in securing the required documents and other external services.

“The DSWD is creating [a] means to hasten the process of adoption to prevent birth simulation that deprives adopted children to know their identity and to break the stigma that legal adoption is only for people who can afford the process,” Orogo said.

She also gave assurances that the department would take legal measures to protect children. — Carol Anne Balita/Intern (Inquirer.net)