HB08998: DOMESTIC ADMINISTRATIVE ADOPTION AND ALTERNATIVE CHILD CARE ACT
This bill aims to simplify the domestic adoption process in the Philippines by making it an administrative procedure under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), rather than a judicial one. This change is significant as it intends to make adoption less costly and more expeditious for legally available children, relatives, and step-parent adoptees. The bill also emphasizes the importance of preserving a child's identity and culture by prioritizing domestic adoption, with intercountry adoption only considered when domestic placement is not feasible.
Furthermore, the bill outlines detailed pre-adoption services, including mandatory counseling for biological parents, prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), and prospective adoptees, to ensure informed decisions and healthy relationships. It also sets clear eligibility criteria for adopters and adoptees, specifies necessary consents, and details the administrative adoption process, including supervised trial custody and the issuance of a new birth certificate for the adoptee that does not indicate it as an amended record. This aims to provide a stable and permanent family for children while protecting all parties involved and ensuring the child's best interests are paramount.