Women selling babies urged to resort to legal adoption

MANILA, Philippines - Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman on Friday urged women who are selling their babies out of poverty to resort to the legal adoption process to avoid imprisonment.

Soliman also appealed to mothers who are unable to raise their babies to surrender them to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) where they can be scheduled for temporary placement through foster care or permanent placement through legal adoption.

Soliman said there were reported cases of poor pregnant women who sold their babies to childless couples.

“We should be alarmed by reports of babies being sold. This is also a form of birth simulation which evades the legal adoption process thereby violating RA (Republic Act) 8552, An Act Establishing the Rules and Policies on the Domestic Adoption of Filipino Children,” she said.

Soliman issued the statement in line with the celebration of the Adoption Consciousness Week from tomorrow until Feb. 24.

According to Soliman, any person who tampers with the birth registration of a child or any physician, nurse, or health personnel who will collaborate in such an illegal act will be guilty of birth simulation.

Birth simulation is the tampering of the civil registry, making it appear in the birth records that a certain child was born to a person who is not his or her biological mother, causing the child to lose his or her true identity and status.

It is punishable by prison mayor in its medium period and a fine not exceeding P50,000.

Soliman said several activities were lined up for the celebration of the 15th Adoption Consciousness Week.

DSWD-National Capital Region director Ma. Alicia Bonoan and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim led the “Love Walk 2013” at the Rizal Park in Manila yesterday morning.