BANGUED, Abra -- The Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team initiated efforts to intensify advocacy to promote legal adoption to uphold the rights of a child as well as impress upon foster parents their role in adopting a child.
Myrna Berras-Bersalona of the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Cordillera Regional Office (DSWD-CAR) led her team in going around the different municipalities in Abra to give orientation on the Adoption and Foster Care Program of the DSWD.
In a radio interview recently, Bersalona underscored the importance of observing legal adoption and avoid assimilation of children because it is illegal and it would deprive the child of his real identity which is a violation of one of the basic rights of a child.
She also discussed the salient features of the law on adoption and foster care such as the process of legal adoption which when the child is taken from a foster institution particularly from the DSWD or DSWD partner institutions, the foster parents may not choose who to adopt since this is not a matter of shopping for a child.
She explained the qualifications and obligations of foster parents as well as the conditions that they have to comply with upon expression of their intent to adopt a child. Adoptive parents have to attend series of orientation sessions with the DSWD and tests as may be required.
The National Adoption Consciousness Week was observed last February 15 - 23 with the theme, "Legal na pag-aampon sa lahat ng pagkakataon." (Maritess Beñas)