Advocates say: Adoption not limited to childless families

CEBU, Philippines — Pro-adoption advocates are encouraging parents who are financially stable to adopt a child.

In a summit attended by adoptive parents and other stakeholders, speakers lamented that there has been a mindset among people that one would only seek adoption when the partner cannot bear a child.

Rosalie Dagulo, officer-in-charge of the Community Program and Services Bureau of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said that adoption is a lifelong journey.

“No child was unwanted.  You did not want the pregnancy, not the child,” she said.

The first ever summit that tackled issues concerning adoption was held yesterday at the University of the Visayas-main campus that was organized by the Central Visayas Adoptive Parents Association, Incorporated (CVAPAI), in coordination with the DSWD-7.

Dagulo also shared to the group her experiences for growing “Sarah,” whom love so dearly, as she also provided tips on good parenting and its best practices.

She suggested introducing the word “adopted” to the child as early as possible.

From age two to four, the child’s curiosity begins. They tend to ask questions, yet their thinking is literal, so you can go introduce adoption stories, like those animated once, about pets or adopted children, she said.

Other tips she shared include:

• Don’t go beyond what’s being asked.

• Never panic if your child asks whether he or she is adopted.

• Just be honest, to avoid trust issues.

• Encourage them to pursue their own interest.

• Don’t talk negative about his or her birth family. They might think negative about themselves.

Dagulo emphasized that adoption is another way to create a family.

“At DSWD, we are finding a family for a child, not finding a child for a family,” Dagulo said.

She added that legalizing an adopted child is much more costly than bearing one’s child, not to mention the time that it consumes for attending court hearings.

At present, two House bills are on review to make the legalization process to be just within the jurisdiction of the DSWD.

CVAPAI President Kaking Sy said they are planning to conduct a much bigger Visayas Adoption Summit in the future.

The UV Chorale serenaded the participants during the summit. —CNU COMM Intern/GAN (FREEMAN)