While a child may be placed in foster care as a preparation towards his placement with an adoptive family, it shall not be used to pre-identify a child for adoption. Social worker, Reyschel Balase, handling the Foster Care Service of the DSWD Field Office Eight issued this statement, to a group of some 26 workers hired under the DSWD – UNICEF project. The orientation on the DSWD Alternative Parental Care Program was held recently at the Kuting Reef in Macrohon, Southern Leyte.

However, “a foster parent may adopt the foster child if the foster child is eligible for adoption and has not yet been matched with an approved adoptive family; provided that the adoption shall still be governed by the Domestic Adoption Act of 1998, as amended by the Inter – Country Adoption Act of 1995, “ Balase pointed out. She added that the foster parents may express the intention to adopt the foster child six months after the placement of the child to the foster family.

The DSWD Field Office Eight, through the assistance of the UNICEF, has embarked on a project called Family Tracing and Reunification (FTR) which identifies, traces, and documents cases of orphaned as well as separated children as a result of super typhoon Yolanda. This project includes those in need of special protection such that they will be registered for child care services.

As of to date, there are counted some 151 separated and unaccompanied children from the Yolanda hard – hit areas of Tacloban City and Leyte municipalities of Palo, Tanauan, Tolosa, Dulag and Sta. Fe, Ormoc City, the Samar town of Marabur, and Giporlos, Salcedo, Hernani, and Guiuan, all of Eastern Samar.

“Foster Care service is temporary placement while Adoption is the permanent placement of a child,” said Social Worker Jocelyn Penaranda, referring to the two types of child placement under the DSWD’s Alternative Parental Care Program.

In a press conference held recently in same venue, Penaranda disclosed that “a child shall be placed only with a licensed foster family except in cases of an emergency where the best interest of the child is being considered.” She announced that for Region Eight, there are a total of 286 foster families licensed with the DSWD, ten of whom are subsidized while 276 are volunteer foster families.

The orientation and press conference conducted late February were meant to contribute to the observance of Adoption Consciousness Month. This year’s theme is, “Legal na Ampon Ako, Anak na Totoo.” #