Parents who believe they can no longer care for their child may legally surrender them through government-accredited channels instead of abandoning them or turning to unauthorized adoption arrangements, according to the National Authority for Child Care (NACC).

NACC, an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), issued the reminder on May 10, Mother’s Day, as it urged struggling families to seek help from social welfare authorities before resorting to abandonment.

“Abandoning a child endangers their life, and deprives them of their right to identity, protection, and belonging,” NACC Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada said.

NACC said parents are first encouraged to seek assistance from government agencies and local social welfare offices before considering voluntary surrender.

Available support includes counselling, financial aid through DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, livelihood assistance under the Sustainable Livelihood Program, and the ProtecTEEN program for adolescent parents.

Under the government’s alternative child care system, parents facing severe financial, personal, or social difficulties may undergo voluntary surrender through a legal process supervised by social workers.

The process includes counselling, assessment, and the execution of a Deed of Voluntary Commitment.

“Biological family remains the foremost and natural carer of children,” Estrada said.

“However, when parents are driven by extreme circumstances and believe they can no longer provide proper care, the government has established a humane, legal, and protective system that safeguards the child’s welfare and future,” she added.

Parents may seek help or surrender a child through municipal or city social welfare offices, government-run residential care facilities, accredited hospitals, private child-caring agencies, or the NACC’s Regional Alternative Child Care Offices.

NACC also warned against illegal adoption arrangements and online transactions involving children, saying these may expose minors to trafficking, exploitation, and future identity-related problems.

It said adoption procedures have also become simpler under the administrative adoption system.

Instead of filing petitions in court, prospective adoptive parents now file applications directly before Regional Alternative Child Care Offices.

Adoption orders may be issued within nine months if documents are complete, according to NACC.

“This streamlined process is intended to ensure that children declared legally available for adoption are provided safe, loving, and permanent families at the soonest possible time,” Estrada said.

NACC also cited protections for abandoned children under the Foundling Recognition and Protection Act, a law that automatically recognizes foundlings as natural-born Filipino citizens and guarantees access to birth registration, government assistance, foster care, and adoption services.

A foundling refers to an abandoned infant, child, or person whose parentage is unknown.

Under the law, anyone who discovers a foundling must report the incident within 48 hours to authorities, social workers, hospitals, or accredited safe havens.

NACC also cautioned the public against spreading misleading or sensationalized social media content involving foundlings.

“Cases involving foundlings must be handled with utmost respect for the child’s dignity, privacy, and rights,” it said.