Ormoc city: The National Authority for Child Care (NACC) has entered into a memorandum of agreement with several local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas to enhance the implementation of the Philippine Foster Care Program and Domestic Administrative Adoption. The signing ceremony, held in Ormoc City, was led by NACC Undersecretary Janella Ejercito-Estrada, along with local chief executives and officials from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office.

According to Philippines News Agency, the partnership with Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Samar, and Northern Samar LGUs aims to institutionalize local foster care networks, provide support services, and improve the LGUs’ capacity to care for children in need of special protection. Ejercito-Estrada noted that this collaboration is part of their advocacy to protect the rights of children who have been abandoned, neglected, orphaned, surrendered, or abused and exploited.

Ejercito-Estrada emphasized that the agreement ensures children will not lose hope, as they can find safe and loving homes through foster care and legal adoption. She highlighted that this initiative will help combat illegal adoption and online baby selling, stressing that adoption is a legal process with specific requirements and penalties for violations.

She also mentioned that the adoption process has become faster since the creation of NACC. What once took two to 10 years under the judiciary now takes about six to nine months for approval. In Eastern Visayas, 56 children are currently eligible for adoption, while 29 have already been placed with their new families.

During the ceremony, it was announced that two children from Northern Samar and Southern Leyte had their adoption papers approved by the agency and are now living with their adoptive parents.