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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Antipolo City to strengthen adoption and foster care services

Antipolo City to strengthen adoption and foster care services

Published Feb 24, 2026 05:51 pm
The Antipolo City government has partnered with a national government agency on child care to strengthen adoption and foster care services in the city.
This after the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) and the City Government of Antipolo formally sealed a partnership to implement domestic administrative adoption and alternative child care programs with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on February 20, 2026, at the Mayor’s Office in Antipolo City.
The NACC in the Philippines is a quasi-judicial agency under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that acts as the central authority for all alternative child care, including domestic and inter-country adoption, foster care, and the declaration of children legally available for adoption
The collaboration aims to ensure faster and more responsive assistance for abandoned, neglected, orphaned, surrendered, abused, and exploited children in the city.
NACC Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada emphasized the crucial role of local government units (LGUs) in strengthening child welfare services.
“When LGUs such as Antipolo actively take part, we translate our shared commitment into action, bringing us closer to a future where every child grows up in a safe, loving, and permanent home,” Estrada said in a statement. She added that the partnership turns adoption and alternative child care programs into concrete services that directly respond to the realities faced by children and families.
A roundtable discussion on the agreement was held at the Mayor’s Office, led by Estrada and Antipolo City Mayor Casimiro A. Ynares III.
City Mayor Casimiro Ynares, III (center) and NACC head, Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada shows the copy of the Memorandum of Agreement on the implementation of domestic administrative adoption and alternative child care programs during the activity on February 20, 2026, at the Mayor’s Office in Antipolo City. Other city hall officials joined the event.
City Mayor Casimiro Ynares, III (center) and NACC head, Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada shows the copy of the Memorandum of Agreement on the implementation of domestic administrative adoption and alternative child care programs during the activity on February 20, 2026, at the Mayor’s Office in Antipolo City. Other city hall officials joined the event.
Also present to witness the forging of the agreement were key city officials, including Frescian O. Canlas, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Department, and City Legal Officer Atty. Cedrick Justice U. Capiral.
Under the agreement, Antipolo’s Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) will develop a pool of licensed foster parents, prepare Parenting Capability Assessment Reports (PCARs), and assist in filing Petitions for Adoption and Certificates Declaring a Child Legally Available for Adoption (CDCLAA).
The NACC, through its Regional Alternative Child Care Office – CALABARZON (RACCO CALABARZON), will provide technical assistance, capacity-building programs, and oversight to ensure petitions are processed promptly and in line with established standards.
The partnership will also adopt Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), an evidence-based and trauma-informed caregiving approach designed to support children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or early trauma. TBRI focuses on creating safe, nurturing environments where children can heal and build healthy relationships.
Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) included NACC’s adoption and foster care initiatives as sub-indicators in the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA). The move highlights the importance of strong LGU involvement in promoting child protection and welfare programs.
With the new partnership in place, Antipolo City aims to bring child care and protection services closer to families, ensuring that vulnerable children are given the opportunity to grow in safe and permanent homes.
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