DUMAGUETE CITY — Barangay officials in Negros Oriental and this city are enjoined to apply for a foster care license so they can take good care of homeless children roaming in their respective areas, by giving them temporary shelter without being accused of taking them illegally.
This was stressed by Rosalie Dales of the Social Welfare Office of the municipality of Valencia on Tuesday when asked why a “good Samaritan” would be punished for his good intentions.
She said under the law, “there are two kinds of adoption – one is temporary and the other is permanent, which means that the child being adopted can be considered an heir to the wealth of the family, can have their family name and be considered as their own.”
However, it is illegal for people to take a child into their homes first prior to the processing of adoption papers in court, she pointed out.
It is considered as direct placement which is punishable by law.
The foster care license can only be issued by the DSWD through the secretary with the help of the community social worker, who will prepare the case and home study for a foster care parent to be legal, she said.
In the absence of the foster care license, anybody may file kidnapping charges against the said barangay official or any parent for that matter, she added.
The good thing about being a licensed foster care parent is that government is extending subsidy as help for taking in a homeless child in the amount of PHP 4,000 every month for a normal child and PHP 5,000 if the child has disability.
This provision does not preclude members or relatives of the barangay official, especially those who are homeless and have no more parents.
“The application for kinship care is available under the foster care provision,” said Dales. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)