The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) is stepping up its information drive to bolster awareness on legal adoption of orphaned, abandoned, and neglected Filipino children who are in need of permanent homes.

Rebecca Geamala, DSWD-7 regional director, said in a statement on Tuesday that the government has been striving to call for public attention to ensure nationwide awareness on legal adoption.

She said Presidential Proclamation No. 72, series of 1999 declared the first Saturday of February of every year as Adoption Consciousness Day, an effort to raise awareness on legitimate procedures in adopting a child.

For the past 10 years, the DSWD-7 has issued a total of 738 certifications declaring a child legally available for adoption (CDCLAA), she said.

“The moment that we take care of these children is like doing the will of God. We do not know that out of these children who are being adopted legally, will become great leaders of the future. And as we all know that the children are the hope of our country,” said Geamala.

The regional field officers of DSWD-7 joined the nationwide simultaneous virtual kickoff activity for the 2021 Adoption Consciousness celebration last Saturday.

The celebration’s theme “Pagmamahal Palaganapin, Legal na Pag-aampon Ating Gawin!” (spread unconditional love through legal adoption) is a continuation of the efforts to promote legal adoption as a form of unconditional love between parents and their adopted children.

The theme also focuses on legal adoption as the only way to ensure that adopted children will have the same rights as those of biological children, the statement from DSWD-7 said.

The agency also launched the art exhibit that showcased 13 posters from various child-caring agencies and residential care facilities that participated in a poster-slogan contest. The entries are also posted on the DSWD-7 Facebook page for the online voting that will run until Thursday (Feb. 11).

There is also a “Color Your Station” contest, which is participated in by the different local government units (LGUs) in the region. The contestants decorate either the interior or exterior of the local social welfare and development office or other conspicuous space within the City or Municipal Hall. The decoration will be dominated with the pink color and must adhere to the celebration’s theme.

On February 18, the DSWD will hold an online forum for LGUs to tackle the adoption case management. On Feb. 22, an adoption forum will also be conducted to prospective adoptive parents.

While mass gathering is still prohibited in public spaces like malls, the DSWD-7 will continue its advocacy efforts to promote legal adoption through its online adoption help desk.

The DSWD-7 said it welcomes questions about the legal process of adoption by sending inquiries through https://forms.gle/dBNKmYd27mBbhSTz5. (PNA)