Duterte signs law simplifying adoption process for Filipino children

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signs the 2019 General Appropriations Act at the Malacañan Palace on April 15, 2019. Witnessing the signing is Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure simplifying the process of adoption for Filipino children.

Republic Act No. 11642, or the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Child Care Act, which was signed by Duterte on Jan. 6, aims to “provide for and allow simpler and inexpensive domestic administrative adoption proceedings and shall streamline services for alternative child care.”

It also creates the National Authority Child Care (NACC), whose functions include “declaring a child legally available for both domestic administrative adoption and inter-country adoption, foster care, kinship care, family-like care, or residential care.”

The new law sets a specific length of time on which the NACC and its regional offices should decide on petitions for adoption, as well as act on other requirements.

Decisions of the NACC may be later appealed to the Court of Appeals.

The new law also penalizes abuse and exploitation of children, and the fictitious registration of the birth of a child under a person who is not their biological parent or simulation of birth.

It also penalizes getting consent for adoption through coercion, undue influence, fraud, improper material inducement, or other similar acts.

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JPV