Social Workers set up Adoption Help Desks in malls to assist clients, in line with the celebration of the Adoption Consciousness Week (Photo Courtesy of Jamila Taha, DSWD-10)

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office X marks February as the Adoption Consciousness Month with this year’s theme as “Pagmamahal Palaganapin, Legal na Pag-aampon Ating Gawin! (Spread Unconditional Love through Legal Adoption).

To kick-off the observance, a celebration among foster and adoptive parents will be conducted at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol grounds on February 11, 2017 to highlight the positive impact of legal adoption. Moreover, adoption desks will also be set up this month at major malls in Cagayan de Oro City to provide the public an easier access to information on how to adopt a child legally.

Adoption is a socio-legal of providing of a permanent family to a child whose parents have involuntarily or voluntarily relinquished parental authority over the child. It is one of the top advocacies of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to ensure that these children belong to families that can give them unconditional love and shelter.

In Region 10, there are 25 children who were legally declared as readily available for adoption by the courts. Currently, these children are under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

To know detailed information on how adopt a child, the DSWD is encouraging the public to visit their office at DSWD-X, Masterson Ave., Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City or to visit their website at www.fo10.dswd.gov.ph or on their Faceboook page “DSWD Field Office X.

Written by Charmaine P. Tadlas, DSWD