Senators Grace Poe and Risa Hontiveros have welcomed the recent signing of the Foundling Recognition and Protection Act or Republic Act No. 11767 into law, with both saying it is a victory for both the adopted children and their parents.
Poe, a foundling herself, expressed her sincere gratitude to President Duterte for signing the measure into law, pointing out her experiences when she ran for the presidency in 2016.
“It would be untruthful to say that the law was not informed by my experiences when I ran for the presidency in 2016. As a matter of fact, it is exactly my experiences in that period that opened my eyes to the necessity of the law,” Poe said in a statement.
“I experienced firsthand how foundlings were subjected to undue scrutiny for something that is completely outside their control. Such unfair treatment has made me realize that ample safeguards must be institutionalized to protect them from future attacks and declare, once and for all, that they are Filipinos who must be accorded with the same rights and privileges that are granted upon their fellow countrymen,” she added.
“As I have said before, this is a victory for both the adopted children and the adopting parents. May it provide them with the peace of mind and closure that some of them seek until this very day. May it also remind them that regardless of where they came from, they are just as important and worthy as anybody else,” Poe further stressed.
Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children and Family Relations, also welcomed the President’s recent signing of the foundling law.
“Ang mga batang inabandona ay pinakabulnerable sa lipunan. Malimit ay limitado ang karapatan at serbisyo nila mula sa gobyerno (Abandoned children are the most vulnerable in society. Their rights are limited and basic services from the governnment are usually out of their reach),” she pointed out.
“The passage of this bill shows the government’s commitment to give the greatest protection to the rights and welfare of our children, not least by recognizing their very existence,” Hontiveros stressed.
The law also includes the provision of a safe haven for infants who are abandoned or thrown in garbages or left in sidewalks.
“I am glad that before the 18th Congress closes, we passed a measure that clearly puts the safety of our children first, and I look forward to being part of passing more laws for every Filipino child,” Hontiveros said.