· Not an official government website

BatasKo

Ang Batas, Sa Simpleng Salita — your rights, finally explained.

Republic Act No. 9523· Enacted 2009-03-12

DSWD Child Adoption Certification (RA 9523) — BatasKo ELI5

Ang RA 9523 ay nag-aatas na kailangan ng DSWD certification bago maging legal ang adoption ng bata. Alamin ang proseso, karapatan ng bata, at kung paano mag-apply.

ELI5Women & ChildrenOFW RelevantRA-9523child-welfareadoption

Ang Batas sa Madaling Salita— ELI5

Bago maiadobt ang isang bata sa Pilipinas, dapat munang magbigay ang DSWD ng sertipiko na 'legally available for adoption' ang bata. Pinoprotektahan nito ang mga batang abandonado o ipinagkatiwala ng kanilang mga magulang sa DSWD.

Official text — Republic Act No. 9523

Jump to section ↓14 sections

Preamble

Fourteenth Congress

Second Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-eighth day of July, two thousand eight.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 9523 March 12, 2009

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTIFICATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD) TO DECLARE A "CHILD LEGALLY AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION" AS A PREREQUISITE FOR ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8552, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DOMESTIC ADOPTION ACT OF 1998, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8043, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE INTER-COUNTRY ADOPTION ACT OF 1995, PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 603, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

:

Section 1

Section 1.

Declaration of Policy.

– It is hereby declared the policy of the State that alternative protection and assistance shall be afforded to every child who is abandoned, surrendered, or neglected. In this regard, the State shall extend such assistance in the most expeditious manner in the interest of full emotional and social development of the abandoned, surrendered, or neglected child.

It is hereby recognized that administrative processes under the jurisdiction of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the declaration of a child legally available for adoption of abandoned, surrendered, or neglected children are the most expeditious proceedings for the best interest and welfare of the child.

Section. 2

Section. 2.

Definition of Terms.

– As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:

(1) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the agency charged to implement the provisions of this Act and shall have the sole authority to issue the certification declaring a child legally available for adoption.

(2) Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or a person over eighteen (18) years of age but is unable to fully take care of him/herself or protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of physical or mental disability or condition.

(3) Abandoned Child refers to a child who has no proper parental care or guardianship, or whose parent(s) have deserted him/her for a period of at least three (3) continuous months, which includes a founding.

(4) Neglected Child refers to a child whose basic needs have been deliberately unattended or inadequately attended within a period of three (3) continuous months. Neglect may occur in two (2) ways:

(a) There is physical neglect when the child is malnourished, ill-clad, and without proper shelter. A child is unattended when left by himself/herself without proper provisions and/or without proper supervision.

(b) There is emotional neglect when the child is maltreated, raped, seduced, exploited, overworked, or made to work under conditions not conducive to good health; or is made to beg in the streets or public places; or when children are in moral danger, or exposed to gambling, prostitution, and other vices.

(5) Child Legally Available for Adoption refers to a child in whose favor a certification was issued by the DSWD that he/she is legally available for adoption after the fact of abandonment or neglect has been proven through the submission of pertinent documents, or one who was voluntarily committed by his/her parent(s) or legal guardian.

(6) Voluntarily Committed Child is one whose parent(s) or legal guardian knowingly and willingly relinquished parental authority to the DSWD or any duly accredited child-placement or child-caring agency or institution.

(7) Child-caring agency or institution refers to a private non-profit or government agency duly accredited by the DSWD that provides twenty-four (24) hour residential care services for abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed children.

(8) Child-placing agency or institution refers to a private non-profit institution or government agency duly accredited by the DWSD that receives and processes applicants to become foster or adoptive parents and facilitate placement of children eligible for foster care or adoption.

(9) Petitioner refers to the head or executive director of a licensed or accredited child-caring or child-placing agency or institution managed by the government, local government unit, non-governmental organization, or provincial, city, or municipal Social Welfare Development Officer who has actual custody of the minor and who files a certification to declare such child legally available for adoption, or, if the child is under the custody of any other individual, the agency or institution does so with the consent of the child's custodian.

(10) Secretary refers to the Secretary of the DSWD or his duly authorized representative.

(11) Conspicuous Place shall refer to a place frequented by the public, where by notice of the petition shall be posted for information of any interested person.

(12) Social Case Study Report (SCSR) shall refer to a written report of the result of an assessment conducted by a licensed social worker as to the social-cultural economic condition, psychosocial background, current functioning and facts of abandonment or neglect of the child. The report shall also state the efforts of social worker to locate the child's biological parents/relatives.

Section 3 — Petition.→

Section 3.

Petition.

– The petition shall be in the form of an affidavit, subscribed and sworn to before any person authorized by law to administer oaths. It shall contain facts necessary to establish the merits of the petition and shall state the circumstances surrounding the abandonment or neglect of the child.

The petition shall be supported by the following documents:

(1) Social Case Study Report made by the DSWD, local government unit, licensed or accredited child-caring or child-placing agency or institution charged with the custody of the child;

(2) Proof that efforts were made to locate the parent(s) or any known relatives of the child. The following shall be considered sufficient:

(a) Written certification from a local or national radio or television station that the case was aired on three (3) different occasions;

(b) Publication in one (1) newspaper of general circulation;

(c) Police report or barangay certification from the locality where the child was found or a certified copy of a tracing report issued by the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), National Headquarters (NHQ), Social Service Division, which states that despite due diligence, the child's parents could not be found; and

(d) Returned registered mail to the last known address of the parent(s) or known relatives, if any.

(3) Birth certificate, if available; and

(4) Recent photograph of the child and photograph of the child upon abandonment or admission to the agency or institution.

Section 4 — Procedure for the Filing of the Petition.→

Section 4.

Procedure for the Filing of the Petition.

– The petition shall be filed in the regional office of the DSWD where the child was found or abandoned.

The Regional Director shall examine the petition and its supporting documents, if sufficient in form and substance and shall authorize the posting of the notice of the petition conspicuous place for five (5) consecutive days in the locality where the child was found.

The Regional Director shall act on the same and shall render a recommendation not later than five (5) working days after the completion of its posting. He/she shall transmit a copy of his/her recommendation and records to the Office of the Secretary within forty-eight (48) hours from the date of the recommendation.

Section 5 — Declaration of Availability for Adoption.→

Section 5.

Declaration of Availability for Adoption.

– Upon finding merit in the petition, the Secretary shall issue a certification declaring the child legally available for adoption within seven (7) working days from receipt of the recommendation.

Said certification, by itself shall be the sole basis for the immediate issuance by the local civil registrar of a foundling certificate. Within seven (7) working days, the local civil registrar shall transmit the founding certificate to the National Statistic Office (NSO).

Section 6 — Appeal.→

Section 6.

Appeal.

– The decision of the Secretary shall be appealable to the Court of Appeals within five (5) days from receipt of the decision by the petitioner, otherwise the same shall be final and executory.

Show 7 more sections +→
Section 7 — Declaration of Availability for Adoption of Involuntarily Committed Child and →

Section 7.

Declaration of Availability for Adoption of Involuntarily Committed Child and Voluntarily Committed Child.

– The certificate declaring a child legally available for adoption in case of an involuntarily committed child under Article 141, paragraph 4(a) and Article 142 of Presidential Decree No. 603 shall be issued by the DSWD within three (3) months following such involuntary commitment.

In case of voluntary commitment as contemplated in Article 154 of Presidential Decree No. 603, the certification declaring the child legally available for adoption shall be issued by the Secretary within three (3) months following the filing of the Deed of Voluntary Commitment, as signed by the parent(s) with the DSWD.

Upon petition filed with the DSWD, the parent(s) or legal guardian who voluntarily committed a child may recover legal custody and parental authority over him/her from the agency or institution to which such child was voluntarily committed when it is shown to the satisfaction of the DSWD that the parent(s) or legal guardian is in a position to adequately provide for the needs of the child:

Provided

, That, the petition for restoration is filed within (3) months after the signing of the Deed of Voluntary Commitment.

Section 8 — Certification.→

Section 8.

Certification.

– The certification that a child is legally available for adoption shall be issued by the DSWD in lieu of a judicial order, thus making the entire process administrative in nature.

The certification, shall be, for all intents and purposes, the primary evidence that the child is legally available in a domestic adoption proceeding, as provided in Republic Act No. 8552 and in an inter-country adoption proceeding, as provided in Republic Act No. 8043.

Section. 9 — Implementing Rules and Regulations.→

Section. 9.

Implementing Rules and Regulations.

– The DSWD, together with the Council for Welfare of Children, Inter-Country Adoption Board, two (2) representatives from licensed or accredited child-placing and child-caring agencies or institution, National Statistics Office and Office of the Civil Registrar, is hereby tasked to draft the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within sixty (60) days following its complete publication.

Upon effectivity of this Act and pending the completion of the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations, petitions for the issuance of a certification declaring a child legally available for adoption may be filled with the regional office of the DSWD where the child was found or abandoned.

Section 10 — Penalty.→

Section 10.

Penalty.

– The penalty of One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) shall be imposed on any person, institution, or agency who shall place a child for adoption without the certification that the child is legally available for adoption issued by the DSWD. Any agency or institution found violating any provision of this Act shall have its license to operate revoked without prejudice to the criminal prosecution of its officers and employees.

Violation of any provision of this Act shall subject the government official or employee concerned to appropriate administrative, civil and/or criminal sanctions, including suspension and/or dismissal from the government service and forfeiture of benefits.

Section 11 — Repealing Clause.→

Section 11.

Repealing Clause.

– Sections 2(c)(iii), 3(b), (e) and 8(a) of Republic Act No. 8552, Section 3(f) of Republic Act No. 8043, Chapter 1 of Title VII, and VIII of Presidential Decree No. 603 and any law, presidential decree, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby reprealed, modified or amended accordingly.

Section 12 — Separability Clause.→

Section 12.

Separability Clause.

– If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

Section 13 — Effectivity.→

Section 13.

Effectivity.

– This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the

Official Gazette.

Approved,

(Sgd.)

PROSPERO C. NOGRALES

Speaker of the House of Representatives

(Sgd.)

JUAN PONCE ENRILE

President of the Senate

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2391 and House Bill No. 10 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives December 17, 2009.

(Sgd.)

MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary General

House of Representives

(Sgd.)

EMMA LIRIO-REYES

Secretary of Senate

Approved:

MAR 12, 2009

(Sgd.)

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

Full text on BatasKo. Original source: Official Gazette / Lawphil.

Bago I-adopt ang Isang Bata: Ang Trabaho ng DSWD sa Ilalim ng RA 9523

Hindi mo mabibili o makukuha ang isang bata para i-adopt nang wala sa utos ng DSWD.

Iyon ang pangunahing mensahe ng Republic Act No. 9523, na nilagdaan ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo noong Marso 12, 2009. Bago pa man makarating ang adoption case sa korte, kailangan muna ng isang mahalagang dokumento mula sa DSWD — ang sertipikong nagsasabing "legally available for adoption" ang bata.

Sa madaling salita: Hindi puwedeng mag-adopt ng bata sa Pilipinas nang walang kaugnayan sa DSWD. Ang ahensya ng gobyerno ang nagtatakda kung talagang walang pamilya o nagmamalasakit ang isang bata bago ito ibigay sa bagong tahanan.

Tunay na Sitwasyon: Si Baby Ana sa Iloilo

Si Aling Nena, isang 45-taong-gulang na guro sa Iloilo City, ay natagpuan ng kanyang kapitbahay ang isang sanggol na iniwan sa harap ng kanyang pinto. Gusto ni Aling Nena na i-adopt ang bata.

Ang una niyang ginawa ay pumunta sa lokal na DSWD office. Ipinaliwanag ng social worker na bago mangyari ang anumang adoption proceeding, kailangan munang mag-petition ang DSWD para ipahayag na "legally available for adoption" ang sanggol.

Nag-publish ng abiso sa dyaryo. Nagsimula ang paghahanap sa mga kamag-anak ng bata. Pagkalipas ng ilang linggo at pagkatapos ng Social Case Study Report, nagbigay ang DSWD ng certification.

Doon lang nagsimula ang formal na adoption process ni Aling Nena.

Ano Talaga ang Sinasabi ng Batas?

Ayon sa Republic Act No. 9523, Section 1, may tungkulin ang estado na bigyan ng proteksyon ang bawat batang abandonado, isinuko, o neglected — at dapat gawin ito "sa pinaka-mabilis na paraan para sa kapakanan ng bata."

Tatlong Klase ng Bata na Sakop ng Batas

1. Abandoned Child (Sec. 2(3)) Isang bata na walang tamang pag-aalaga ng magulang o guardian, o ang mga magulang ay nawala sa loob ng hindi bababa sa 3 magkakasunod na buwan.

2. Neglected Child (Sec. 2(4)) Bata na ang pangunahing pangangailangan ay sinadyang hindi binibigay sa loob ng 3 buwan — pisikal (malnutrisyon, walang damit, walang tirahan) o emosyonal (maltreatment, pagsasamantala).

3. Voluntarily Committed Child (Sec. 2(6)) Bata na sadyang ibinigay ng magulang o guardian sa DSWD o sa isang accredited na ahensya. Ito ay legal at may kaukulang dokumentasyon.

Ang Proseso: Paano Nagbibigay ang DSWD ng Certification?

Hakbang 1: Mag-file ng Petition (Sec. 3) Ang DSWD, LGU social welfare office, o isang licensed child-caring agency ang naghahain ng petition sa pormang sinumpaan (affidavit). Kasama ang:

  • Social Case Study Report mula sa licensed social worker
  • Patunay ng paghahanap sa mga magulang/kamag-anak (TV/radio broadcast 3 beses, pahayagan, police report, o returned registered mail)
  • Birth certificate (kung mayroon)
  • Litrato ng bata

Hakbang 2: Regional Director Review (Sec. 4) Ang DSWD Regional Director ay nagpapaskil ng abiso sa lugar kung nasaan ang bata sa loob ng 5 magkakasunod na araw.

Kailangan magbigay ng rekomendasyon sa loob ng 5 araw na trabaho pagkatapos ng posting.

Hakbang 3: Secretary Issues Certification (Sec. 5) Kung may sapat na basehan, magbibigay ang DSWD Secretary ng certification sa loob ng 7 araw na trabaho mula sa pagtanggap ng rekomendasyon.

Hakbang 4: Appeal (Sec. 6) Puwedeng i-appeal ang desisyon ng Secretary sa Court of Appeals sa loob ng 5 araw mula sa pagtanggap.

Ang Certification: Susi sa Lahat ng Adoption Cases

Ayon sa Section 8, ang DSWD certification ay hindi na kailangan pang dumaan sa hukuman. Administratibo na ang proseso.

Ito ang primary evidence na "legally available for adoption" ang bata sa:

  • Domestic adoption (RA 8552 — Domestic Adoption Act of 1998)
  • Inter-country adoption (RA 8043 — Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995)

Mahalagang detalye para sa voluntarily committed child (Sec. 7):

  • Maglalabas ng certification ang DSWD sa loob ng 3 buwan pagkatapos ng voluntary commitment
  • Ang magulang ay maaaring bawiin ang pag-commit sa loob ng 3 buwan mula sa pagpipirma ng Deed of Voluntary Commitment — kung mapatunayan na kaya na nilang alagaan ang bata

Ano ang Hindi Alam ng Karamihan

Maling paniniwala: "Puwede akong direktang mag-file ng adoption petition sa korte kahit walang DSWD certification."

Katotohanan: Hindi. Sa ilalim ng RA 9523, ang DSWD certification ay kinakailangan bago ang anumang adoption proceeding. Walang korteng tatanggap ng adoption petition nang wala ito.

Maling paniniwala: "Kung ibinigay ko ang aking anak sa isang pamilya, hindi ko na siya mababawi."

Katotohanan: Kung voluntary ang commitment, may 3 buwang window ang magulang para bawiin ang desisyon — basta mapatunayan na kaya na nilang alagaan ang bata (Sec. 7).

Maling paniniwala: "Ang DSWD certification ay pareho ng adoption decree ng korte."

Katotohanan: Hindi. Ang certification ay nagsasabi lang na "legally available for adoption" ang bata. Ito ang simula ng proseso — hindi pa tapos na ang adoption.

Para sa mga OFW / Para sa OFW

Maraming OFW ang gustong mag-adopt ng bata sa Pilipinas habang nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa.

Ang RA 9523 ay may direktang epekto sa inyo:

Kung ikaw ay nagpapadala ng suporta sa bata ng kamag-anak na gusto mong i-adopt: Bago pormalin ang adoption, kailangan pa rin ng DSWD certification kahit ikaw ay nasa abroad. Maaaring kumilos ang iyong attorney-in-fact sa Pilipinas para sa mga proseso.

Para sa inter-country adoption: Ang RA 9523 certification ay kailangan din sa inter-country adoption proceedings sa ilalim ng RA 8043. Ang Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) ay nagtatrabaho kasama ang DSWD para sa mga OFW o foreign nationals na gustong mag-adopt.

Kung ikaw ay isang OFW na nagbabalik at gusto mong mag-adopt: Makipag-ugnayan sa DSWD regional office sa lugar kung saan nakabase ang bata.

Ano ang Gagawin Mo Kung Mayroon Kang Alam na Bata na Pababayaan?

Hakbang 1: Iulat agad sa pinakamalapit na DSWD office o Barangay Social Welfare and Development Officer (BSWDO). Hindi kailangan ng abogado para dito — civic duty mo ito.

Hakbang 2: Huwag kumilos nang mag-isa. Huwag kunin ang bata nang wala sa kaalaman ng DSWD. Maaari kang mapagbintangan ng kidnapping kung hindi maayos ang proseso.

Hakbang 3: Kung gusto mong maging foster o adoptive parent, makipag-ugnayan sa DSWD para sa assessment. Kailangan mong dumaan sa home study at background check.

Hakbang 4: Kung ikaw ay isang institution o ahensya, i-file ang petition sa DSWD Regional Office kung saan natagpuan ang bata (Sec. 4).

Hakbang 5: Makiisa sa proseso nang buong katapatan. Kung may nalaman kang naglalagay ng bata para sa adoption nang walang DSWD certification, iulat ito sa DSWD. Ang parusa ay ₱100,000 hanggang ₱200,000 at posibleng kriminal na kaso (Sec. 10).

Mga Kaugnay na Batas

Mga Madalas na Tanong (FAQs)

T: Gaano katagal ang proseso ng DSWD certification? S: Sa teorya, 7 araw na trabaho mula sa rekomendasyon ng Regional Director hanggang sa certification ng Secretary — plus 5 araw para sa petition review, plus 5 araw para sa public posting. Sa praktika, maaaring mas matagal depende sa workload ng DSWD at sa kumplikado ng kaso. Ang pinakamabilis na kaso ay mga ilang linggo; ang mas kumplikado ay ilang buwan.

T: Sino ang maaaring mag-file ng petition para sa certification? S: Ang head o executive director ng licensed child-caring o child-placing agency, LGU social welfare officer, o ang DSWD mismo kung ang bata ay under kanilang pag-aalaga. Hindi puwede ang ordinaryong indibidwal na direktang mag-file — kailangan ng accredited na entidad (Sec. 2(9)).

T: Ano ang mangyayari kung walang mahanap na mga magulang o kamag-anak ng bata? S: Kung napatunayan na nagawa ang lahat ng makatarungang pagsisikap para mahanap ang mga magulang — broadcast sa TV/radyo nang 3 beses, publication sa pahayagan, police report — at wala pa ring nahanap, maaaring magpatuloy ang DSWD sa certification (Sec. 3(2)).

Mga Pinagmulan

  • Republic Act No. 9523, "An Act Requiring Certification of the DSWD to Declare a Child Legally Available for Adoption" — Lawphil
  • Republic Act No. 8552 (Domestic Adoption Act of 1998)
  • Republic Act No. 8043 (Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995)
  • Presidential Decree No. 603 (Child and Youth Welfare Code)

Pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang ito. Hindi ito legal advice. Para sa iyong partikular na sitwasyon, kumonsulta sa Public Attorney's Office (PAO) sa 1-800-10-PAO-8888 o sa pinakamalapit na DSWD office.

By Irvin Abarca & Claude (AI Research Partner) | Published: May 2026 | 8 min read

RELATED RIGHTS

Women & Children

Expanded Anti-Trafficking Act Philippines (RA 10364) — BatasKo

Women & Children

National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children — BatasKo ELI5

Women & Children

Anti-Bullying Act (RA 10627) — BatasKo ELI5

Women & Children

Premature Marriage Law Philippines Repealed (RA 10655) — BatasKo ELI5

Legal disclaimer: BatasKo provides general legal information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed Filipino lawyer or the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).

← Browse all Republic Acts