In a continuing effort to improve the implementation of inter-country adoption, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its attached agency, the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) held the 15^th Philippine Global Consultation on Child Welfare Services in Manila on September 4 to 6, 2019.

The global consultation was attended by legal adoption experts, members of various foreign embassies, and representatives of local and international child caring and child placement institutions.

With the theme, “Identifying the Needs of Children in Inter-country Adoption,” the Global Consultation, which takes place every other year, serves as a platform to discuss and review policies and procedures to ensure that the best interest of Filipino children who are up for inter-country adoption will be prioritized and upheld.

DSWD Secretary and ICAB Chairperson Rolando Joselito D. Bautista led the event and served as the keynote speaker.

In his speech, Secretary Bautista highlighted the importance of ensuring that the best interest of children should prevail in any adoption process.

“We should ensure that our children are placed in the most ideal of conditions for them to access opportunities for their growth. Let us avoid the mistake of placing children in a situation where their needs will not be addressed,” the Secretary said.

Secretary Bautista also added that inter-country adoption policies and programs must be well-grounded in order to guarantee that the children and prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) from both receiving and sending states will be well-prepared.

Lastly, Secretary Bautista said, “As we continue forwarding the best interests of our children, I can assure you that the Philippines, through the Inter-country Adoption Board, is more driven to continue its efforts in improving the quality of our services and fulfilling our commitments in line with the 1993 Hague Convention. Our mission does not end with policy formulation. As long as there is still a child in need of a loving and secure home, we will not stop.”

From 2009 to 2018, a total of 4,425 children were cleared for inter-country adoption. -30-