Woman seeks to reunite with biological mom

CEBU, Philippines - After three decades of being with her foster family in California, USA, Arlene Alejandria Ausich is back in the country to look for her biological mother, Concordia Alejandria/Elijandria Amper.

Arlene, 30, is here in Cebu City after she was able to track down the orphanage where she was a former ward, through the Internet, the Children’s Shelter of Cebu in Sun Valley here in the city.

According to Carmelita Baya, a social worker at the center, Arlene was adopted by a family in US in July 1983. The only document Arlene was able to get is the birth certificate which states that her biological mom is Concordia Alejandria or Concordia Elijandria.

Concordia, who hails from Buenavista in Agusan del Norte, was reportedly 25 years old when she gave birth to Arlene. Baya said that they already went to the National Statistics Office, to the Commission on Elections Office, among others, to possibly locate Arlene’s mother but failed to get pertinent details.

Back in October of 1980, The FREEMAN published a request for the biological mother to come forward, this was confirmed by Baya. The center’s child study report showed that Arlene had a physical handicap at birth.

“She was born harelip. At eight months she had undergone a surgery to fix said deformity. It was successfully done although her nose was a bit deformed as a result,” Dr. Violeta Cavada, in her report, said.

The child was abandoned by her mother a month after her birth. As to her motive, it was unknown. Several attempts were made to locate the mother but she was nowhere to be found, Cavada’s report concluded

Arlene said that if she meets her real mother and be able to converse with her, she’ll thank her for giving her up so that she can have the life she is presently living now.

Arlene said looking for her real mother is part of her process of becoming whole.

She now works as a social worker at the Northbay Regional Center in California. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)