ACCAP
ACCAP
Newsletter 2009
NEWSLETTER
The Official Publication of the Association
June 2009, Volume 1
Landmark Law, Republic Act No. 9523,
Now a Reality!
On August 20, 2004, Senator
Aquilino Q. Pimentel graced the ACCAP
General Assembly meeting held at the
Asilo de San Vicente de Paul. The office of
Senator Pia Cayetano sent also Atty.
Deegee Uy to represent her in the
meeting. However, it was the presence
and personal acceptance of Senator
Pimentel to take on the advocacy of the
child caring agencies that gave ACCAP
encouragement to pursue its cause of
pushing
for
the
Declaration
of
Abandonment
to
become
an
administrative process.
On November 05, 2004, a Technical
Working Group was organized composed
of Director Alice Bonoan (for DSWD), Mr.
Danilo Gatmaitan (ICAB), Ms. Asuncion S.
Cueto (ICPC/ICAB), Ms. Glady Bunao, Ms.
Beth Cases (ACCAP), and Atty. Michelle
Africa (Office of Senator Pimentel) to
work on the drafting of the bill.
In December 2005, Senate Bill
2173 was introduced by Senator Pimentel
for First Reading and was referred to the
Committee on Youth, Women and
Children. It was also during this time that
ACCAP upon recommendation of the
Committee on Social Services of the
House of Representatives met with
Congressman Jose Lacson to request him
to sponsor the bill at the Lower House.
Without any hesitation, he agreed and
1|Page
in February 2006, House bill No. 5096
with the same title as Senate Bill 2173
was approved on First Reading at the
Lower House. However, due to lack of
time and some pressing concerns both in
the House of Representatives and the
Senate, the Bill was temporarily shelved.
On August 13, 2008, Senator
“Jamby” Madrigal in her sponsorship
speech stated that: “It is in our hands, as
legislators, as leaders but, most of all, as
beneficiaries of all that is good and
laudable in the Filipino family, to
demolish the legal obstacles that prevent
orphans and the abandoned to secure
what we take for granted. A home, a
family”. She encouraged the Senators to
do their part to pass Senate Bill 2371.
Finally, on March 12, 2009,
Republic Act No. 9523 entitled “An Act
Requiring the 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 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”
ACCAP
was approved and signed into law by the
President
of
the
Philippines
in
Malacañang. The signing was attended by
DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral and
other DSWD officials, the ACCAP board.
Parenting Exec. Dir. Pazie de Guzman,
Concordia’s, Beth Caces, NCSD’s Sonia
Cueto, ACCAP’s Exec. Sec. Josie Matol,
Senators and Congressmen.
Our sincerest appreciation and
gratitude go to Senator Aquilino Q.
Pimentel, Jr. and Congressman Carlos P.
Lacson for making this possible. You are
both truly champions of children welfare.
Thank you so much.
Signing of the IRR
Newsletter 2009
OUR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
GO TO:
Asuncion. Cueto
Atty. Henry Joseph Eric Mallonga
Elizabeth. Caces
Glady Bunao
Josefina Dimalaluan
Ma. Teresa Nuqui
Department of Social Welfare &
Development (DSWD)
Undersecretary Alicia Bala
Assistant Secretary Florita Villar
Director Alice Bonoan
Inter-country Adoption Board (ICAB)
The Implementing Rules and
Regulations of the law was signed last
June 1, 2009.
ACCAP was actively
involved in its drafting. President
Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana was one of the
signatories.
The IRR was published the next
day, June 2, 2009 in two(2) newspapers of
general circulation, the Philippine Star
and Manila Times.
Atty. Bernadette Abejo
Marivir Tungol
Office of Senator Aquilino Pimentel
Atty. Gwendolyn P. Gana
Atty. Luzviminda Lavarias
Atty. Sora Dereka Orcullo
Atty. Ethel Avisado
Committee on Family and Alternative
Parental Care (CWC)
Virlanie Foundation
My Father’s House
Parenting Foundation
ACCAP Member Agencies
ACCAP Board Members ( 2004-2009)
And to those who in one way or the other
have been with us in this journey – Thank
you so much for the support!!!
***
Taken during the signing of the IRR of RA 9523 (Left to
right:) Administrator of the National Statistics Office
Carmelita Ericta, ACCAP President Atty. Gwendolyn
Pimentel-Gana, DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral,
Cong. Jose P. Lacson, and ICAB Exec. Director
Bernadette Abejo at the DSWD Auditorium June 1, 2009.
2|Page
ACCAP
THE PRESIDENTS
CORNER…
Newsletter 2009
MEET YOUR ACCAP
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS…
Dear Fellow Accap Members,
Praise Be Jesus And Mary!
First, let me thank you for the trust
and confidence you reposed on me by voting
me your President.
Second, we, your new Board of
Directors for February 2009 to February 2011
would like to assure you that our priority is
reaching out to you and listening to your
concerns. In this connection, we will be
conducting
regional
consultations
and
orientations within the next few months.
Please see the schedule included under
Updates of this newsletter.
Third, we endeavor to be proactive
agents in promoting the causes and advocacies
of ACCAP.
As you know, ACCAP was
instrumental in the passage of R.A. 9523.
Please see related article in the next
succeeding pages. Presently, ACCAP is actively
pushing for the passage of the Foster Care Bill
and the Adoption Code. Likewise, I would also
like to inform you that in behalf of ACCAP I
have written to the Civil Registrar General and
Administrator of the National Statistics Office,
the Honorable Carmelita N. Ericta to set aside
its practice of issuing Foundling Certificates
and instead to issue Certificates Of Live Birth
for abandoned children without known facts of
birth. We will be updating you from time to
time on the action taken on this matter.
Fourth, please make it a habit of
regularly communicating with us, your board
by emailing us through our yahoo group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/accap_memb
ers or at accaphil@yahoo.com.ph . You may
also write to us c/o Ms. Josie Matol, at the
ACCAP Office, Rm. 201, Z Bldg., 1132, Quezon
Avenue, Quezon City or call us at telefax: 6323766940.
We are looking forward to a fruitful
and meaningful partnership with you all.
Again, thank you for the trust and support.
Cheers,
Gwen Pimentel-Gana
3|Page
At the ACCAP General Assembly
meeting held at the White Cross, Inc. on
February 19, 2009, the new Board of
Directors were elected into office:
President : Atty. Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana
Chosen Children Village,
Meritxell Children’s World
Gwen is the eldest of six children
of Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr.
and Lourdes “Bing” de la Llana. In 1982,
she pursued her law degree at the
University of the Philippines, where she
met Luigi Gana, a classmate, she married.
They are blessed with two children,
Dominique and Trina.
In 1988, Gwen joined the Office of
the Solicitor General. In 1998, when her
father won a seat in the Senate, Gwen
joined his Senate office as his Chief of
Staff.
By then, she had begun her
Master’s degree in Public Administration
at UP’s National College of Public
Administration and Governance as a
scholar of the Civil Service Commission
where she graduated in 2002. She had
also started serving on the Intercountry
Placement Committee of the InterCountry Adoption Board (ICAB) in 1996.
In 2001, Gwen was appointed by
the President of the Republic of the
Philippines to the ICAB Board of
Directors. To cap her 11-years stint in
ICAB in 2007, she embarked on the
writing of the book entitled “Adopting A
Filipino Child The Intercountry Way.”
Continuing her advocacy in Children’s
rights and welfare, Gwen was one of the
ACCAP
founding members of Meritxell Children’s
World, a child caring agency, with fellow
Child Right’s advocate & President of
Meritxell, Atty. Eric Mallonga. She also sits
on the board of the Chosen Children’s
Village, a home for special children
managed by its Executive Director Mrs.
Lita Fullerton.
Gwen, was elected in February
2009 as President of the Association of
Child Caring Agencies of the Philippines
(ACCAP).
In promoting her advocacies,
Gwen together with her husband Luigi
and UP College of Law classmates, Attys.
Erick and Alma Mallonga anchor the radio
program “Magkabiyak sa Batas” every 1st,
2nd and 4th Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00
a.m. at Radio Veritas 846, a Catholic
media network.
Newsletter 2009
privilege to be able to serve on the ACCAP
Board for the next two years.
Vice President for External Affairs:
Ms. Glady Q. Bunao
House of Refuge Foundation, Inc.
- Glady Q. Bunao has been one of
the members of the ACCAP Board since
2004.
- Glady Q. Bunao is the Executive
Director of House of Refuge Foundation,
Inc. since 2002 up to the present.
-Member, Inter-country Placement
Committee (ICPC) of ICAB
- Social Worker by profession with
units in Master’s Degree in Social Work
Vice President for Internal Affairs:
Marc Morris
SAMARITAN’s Place
ACCAP's Vice
President
for
Internal Affairs is Reverend Marc A.
Morris. He is the Founder and President
of Samaritan's Place Homes for Children
located in Silang, Cavite. The husband of
former ACCAP Board member Marilen
Morris, he is the proud father of two
children, Christopher (18) and Michelle
(15).
Rev.
Morris' passion
and
commitment to serve orphaned and
abandoned children has roots in his own
family. Marc's maternal grandmother
lived in an orphanage in the USA for
fourteen years back in 1921-1935.
Her inspiring life story gave the
Morris' the motivation and strategy for
starting the foster family style residential
care and adoption processing program
of Samaritan's Place in 1998. An avid
golfer and lover of good food,
Marc considers it a very high honor and
4|Page
Secretary:
Lani Battulayan
The Sun & Moon Foundation
-Administrator/Social Worker
The Sun and Moon Foundation, Inc.
4370 Librada Avelino St., Bayview Village,
Tambo, Parañaque City
July 01, 1997 to date
-Program Manager
Save The Children Japan-Philippine Office
Room 508 Doña Felisa Syjuco Bldg.
Remedios St. cor. Taft Avenue,
Malate, Manila
April 01, 1995 to June 30, 1997
-Social Worker
Save The Children Japan-Philippine Office
Room 508 Doña Felisa Syjuco Bldg.
Remedios St. cor. Taft Avenue, Malate,
Manila
ACCAP
May 23, 1994 to March 31, 1995
accredited by the Department of Social
Welfare and Development.
-Trainor
Work Credit Enhancement Program
Philippine Refugee Processing Center
Morong, Bataan
October 01, 1993 to April 30, 1994
-Community
Organization
Administration Supervisor
Philippine Refugee Processing Center
Morong, Bataan
October 01, 1992 to September 1993
Treasurer:
&
She believes in participative and
delegative leadership as this brings out
effective and accurate decisions since no
leader can be an expert in all areas. She
upholds the team’s specialized knowledge
and expertise from which multidisciplinary decisions are created.
For Deanna, nothing is more
rewarding than seeing people and
children reach their potentials by giving
them opportunities to grow and soar
beyond.
Deanna Collins
My Father’s House
Deanna graduated with a Bachelor
of Christian Education and Music from the
Central Bible College, United States in
1971-1974. She started her career as
Missions Administrator Assistant in
Portugal in 1976. In 1982, she continued
her career in the television industry as an
Associate Producer with the Inspirational
Television Network and eventually
became the Guest Relations Director of
Heritage USA of PTL Ministries of the
same year. Heritage USA was one of the
top destinations in the nation in 1986.
Deanna’s
passion
for
personal
development led her to a career as a Staff
Coordinator of Olsten Health Services in
1989, she also gained experience in
financial management as she became a
Credit and Collection Coordinator and as
she demonstrated leadership capabilities,
Deanna was promoted to Office Manager
in 2000.
Deanna’s scope of experience has
spanned virtually all aspects of Ministry,
Television Production and Hotel industry
as well as financial management and
operations administration. As she “wore
many hats” throughout those years, God
has incredibly prepared her as she was
appointed as Executive Director of My
Father’s House- Benny Hinn Ministries in
October 2000, a non- stock, non-profit
child caring agency, licensed and
5|Page
Newsletter 2009
Asst. Treasurer: Tere Nuque
Norfil Foundation
Tere as she is widely known to all,
was once connected with the Department
of Social Welfare and Development (1979
to 1985) as Senior Social Welfare Analyst
and Social Welfare Project Supervisor. In
1982, she resigned from the DSWD and
worked as a Social Services Assistant of a
private firm. In 1987 she transferred to
NORFIL Foundation as the Program
Manager of the Integrated Family and
Child Welfare Program and the Integrated
Family
and
Community
Welfare
Programme. She has also been in the
Board of ACCAP as Board Secretary, Vice
President and President. Currently, she is
the Executive Director of NORFIL
Foundation, a position she’s held since
2003.
Auditor:
Sr. Mary Lorenza Sangalang, RGS
Heart of Mary Villa
ACCAP
Sister Mary Lorenza Sangalang is a
Religious of the Good Shepherd and is the
Executive Directress of Heart of Mary
Villa. Other than administration, she
facilitates
psycho-spiritual
therapy
sessions for individuals, couples, and
families.
She likewise supervises
adoption services.
She brings to the Board her
experience and training on child and
family welfare and development, and
financial management. She has been in
social and financial administration having
been a Program Manager of several
projects in Batangas, Cebu, Legazpi, and
Quezon City. She was in social work
education for eleven years having taught
in St. Bridget College and St. Louis
University. She was a member of the
Child Welfare Special Group (CWSG) for
six years in Region V.
She is a registered social worker,
has a master’s degree in social work, and
a baccalaureate degree in business
administration. She has special training
on family therapy, neuro-linguistic
programming,
and
guidance
and
counseling.
Public Relations Officer:
Mely M. Vargas
Newsletter 2009
ACCAP THEN
AND NOW….
The Association of Child Caring
Agencies of the Philippines (ACCAP) was
first organized in 1991 as the Child Care
and Placement Group (CC & PG) under the
Program Committee of the National
Council
of
Social
Development
Foundation (NCSD).
Ms Angela Maria Pangan who was
a member of the Board of the NCSD, saw
the need to form a group among child
caring agencies in the Philippines to
advocate for child care and placement
issues. She invited a select group of social
workers and heads of child caring
agencies, namely Marilyn Manuel,
Elizabeth Caces, Lita Fullerton, Sister Lilia
Flores, Pazzie de Guzman, Paul Healey
and Louise Lynip to a meeting at NORFIL
Foundation where the situation and the
need for advocacy of increasing number
of issues were discussed.
White Cross Children’s Home
-Executive Director of White Cross
for 5 years
-Member of the Inter-Country
Placement Committee of ICAB- 2nd term
-Taking up Masters in Social Work
at UP-Diliman
-2007 Awardee as : "Most
Outstanding Sagradista" for Community
Service Given at Colegio del Sagrado
Corazon de Jesus, Iloilo City
From the Board,
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TRUST AND SUPPORT!!!
6|Page
Supported by 14 founding member
agencies, the Objectives, By-Laws, the
name of the organization, its logo and
other registration documents were
finalized and the group was organized.
Lita Fullerton and Sister Lilia were the
ones who presented the Association’s
logo. Teresa Nuqui and Marivir Tungol of
NORFIL’s IFCW program helped finalize
the By-Laws and other documents under
the guidance of Sonia Cueto, the Deputy
Director of NORFIL at the time. The
Association of Child Caring Agencies or
ACCAP
ACCAP was registered with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April
27, 1994.
At the First General Assembly, the
First Board of Directors of ACCAP was
elected and Ms Pangan was unanimously
chosen as the first President. The former
Minister of Social Welfare, Atty Sylvia P.
Montes, administered the Oath of Office
on the members of ACCAP’s first Board of
Directors.
The Association has survived its
growing years when it demonstrated its
capacity to advocate and negotiate with
government on child care and placement
issues on behalf of the member agencies.
During its early years, it was also able to
demonstrate its goal to “police” its ranks
and thru capacity building opportunities,
also tried to enhance the quality of child
care by the CCAs.
Under the leadership of its various
Presidents, starting from Beth Pangan,
Lita Fullerton, Pazzie de Guzman, Tere
Nuqui and Beth Caces ACCAP has evolved
as a well-known network in child welfare
both here and abroad. Most of all, ACCAP
has become a strategic partner of the
Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) and Intercountry
Adoption Board (ICAB) of the Philippines,
in the field of child care and placement
services.
Today, ACCAP has a membership of
69 child caring and placing agencies
nationwide and has foreign adoption
agencies as associate members worldwide.
In February 2009, ACCAP elected its Board
of Directors for 2009 to 2011. (See: Article
on Meet your ACCAP Board of Directors)
7|Page
Newsletter 2009
The VISION.
A dynamic professional lead
organization of child caring and
placement agencies deeply committed to
the protection and promotion of the
rights and welfare of children.
Our MISSION.
Empowerment
of
member
agencies to enhance their professional
commitment and ensure quality services
to children who are abandoned,
neglected, abused and those with special
needs.
Our GOAL.
To accelerate the development of a
sense of commitment and solidarity
among child caring and placement
agencies and other related organizations
for better service delivery thus ensuring
a better future for the children.
Our COMMITMENT.
Every child has the right to a
family that will provide him protection,
guidance and love
In recognition of this, we entered
this profession of child care and welfare
to show our care and concern for the
well being of children.
ACCAP
Newsletter 2009
FEATURE…
THE CHARITY CONTINUES
Asilo de la Milagrosa
th
celebrates 75 year
Feliza de Villamor and Doña Carmen de Sotto.
The Asilo de la Milagrosa celebrated
its Diamond Jubilee on June 20, 2009 with a
Pontifical Mass. The mass was officiated by
no less than Cebu Archbishop Ricardo
Cardinal Vidal.
Cardinal Vidal, in his homily, basically
talked on Christian faith, saying it should be
partnered with creative and loving service to
the less privileged and the most
disadvantaged in this part of the country.
Prior to the 9a.m. Mass that was held
at the Asilo de la Milagrosa chapel, along
Gorordo Avenue, the celebration kicked off
with a motorcade at 7 a.m. There was also an
exhibit, and a cultural presentation depicting
the history of Asilo at 3p.m. and at 7 p.m.,
respectively at the CIC-Cebu auditorium.
Tracing its history, Asilo is said to be
owned and administered by the Daughters of
Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Its beginnings could be traced back to
five alumnae of Colegio de la Inmaculada
Concepcion in Cebu City namely, Doña
Esperanza de Velez, Doña Mena Fortich de
Escaño, Doña Felicisima Vda. de Jerez, Doña
8|Page
These
five
women
organized
themselves into the Conferencias de San
Vicente de Paul with the aim of founding an
institution that would cater to the needs of
the poor.
Guided by Rev. Fr. Jose Garcia of the
Congregation of the Mission and Sr.
Concepcion Almenara and Sr. Francisca del
Toro, both of the Daughters of Charity, the
group of CIC alumnae ventured initially into
the apostolate for 12 paralytic and blind
persons. The abandoned babies, the orphans
and the disadvantaged in Cebu City and the
neighboring towns came later.
Through the efforts of Asilo’s
benefactors, a building was constructed to
house its poor beneficiaries in its present
location. The daily basic needs were provided
by the generous people like Don Ramon
Aboitiz.
To date, Asilo’s programs include
Child and Youth Welfare Program that is
aimed to care, protect, develop and empower
children and youth, age zero to 18 years who
are orphaned, abandoned, voluntarily
surrendered, neglected, abused and those in
difficult situations.
--Niña G.
Sumacot/WAB
ACCAP
Asilo de la Milagrosa
In 1934, in response to a
proliferation of poor and needy individuals,
especially children who needed food and
shelter, Asilo de la Milagrosa of the Asylum
of the Miraculous was established by the
alumni of Colegio de la Immaculada
Concepcion in Cebu City. The women were
supported in their vision by he Daughters
of Charity and the Congregation of the
Mission, congregations of nuns and priests
respectively that are dedicated to the
service and evangelization of the poor.
The asylum was named after Our
Lady of the Miraculous Medal, whose image
stands before the portal of this institution.
As the story goes, the Blessed Virgin
appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris,
France, in 1930 and commissioned the
novice to have a medal made of the image
she showed her. Our Lady promised that
anyone who wore it would receive great
graces.
Daughters of Charity
Indeed, Asilo would be in need of
great graces from its patroness over the
years. After two years of running the
asylum, the founders turned over the
ownership and management
to the
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Before long, war came to the islands
and the need for an institution like Asilo
became acute as many
children had
become victims of the ravages of war. More
9|Page
Newsletter 2009
than ever,
the nuns took their
responsibility for the continued existence
of Asilo very seriously. Despite seemingly
insurmountable difficulties, the Daughters
if Charity were able to build new Asilo to
harbor needy children and the elderly.
Today,
rapid
urbanization
,
industrial and globalization have put great
pressure on the institution of the family.
Many families have splintered under
immense socio-economic pressures, with
the children becoming unwitting victims
who have been deprived not only of home
and family, but also of a bright future.
For as long as there are poor, needy,
surrendered,
abandoned,
neglected,
dependent and orphaned children as well
as indigent youth, Asilo de la Milagrosa has
vowed to be there as a manifestation of the
love and concern of the Daughters of
Charity for them.
Programs
Asilo has s residential care program
for needy, abandoned, surrendered,
orphaned children, ages 0-16, of good
health,
not
suffering
from
any
communicable diseases, mental disorders
or physical abnormalities and with no
conviction or pending case in the juvenile
courts. For these children, it provides
adoption, education, health and pastoral
care.
The asylum also has an alternative
residential home program indigent youths
not suffering from mental disorder or any
communicable diseases, aged 13-25, whose
ACCAP
families are unable to provide their needs,
particularly education.
Also in line with its aim to help the
poor arise from their poverty, Asilo has a
vocational technology trade program.
Participants are taught skills like
cosmetology, sewing and embroidery.
Asilo de la Milagrosa is also
planning to introduce a community
development program.
Children
Asilo currently has 29
children from adoption. They range in age
from infants to primary school students. Of
this number, 24 are babies and toddlers,
two are pre-schoolers and three are in
grades 1,3 and 4.
In its alternative residential home
program. It has 56 students. Twenty-two
are in elementary school, 19 are in high
school and 18 are attending various
colleges in Cebu.
So far, Asilo has placed five children
for foreign adoption through ICAB. (Quoted
from Not Yet Home Where Children For
Adoption by Ms. Coylee Gamboa)
NORFIL:
ADOPTION SERVICES
EXPANDED
NORFIL Foundation, Inc. is one of
the child welfare agencies in the country
which promotes and improves the lives of
abandoned, neglected and orphaned
children,
through
its
family
and
community-based programs, namely Foster
Home Care, Family Day Care, and
10 | P a g e
Newsletter 2009
Community-Based Rehabilitation for
children and youth with disabilities. As
NORFIL celebrates its 25 years of service in
the field of child welfare, its newest
program – Domestic Adoption Program
was born. It is the agency’s response to
the increasing demand for local adoptive
families to share a permanent loving home
to Filipino children deprived of family love
and care. In close partnership with Sister
Families Foundation (a foreign agency
advocating adoption based in Canada),
NORFIL has joined the two (2) leading
agencies: DSWD and KBF in implementing
Domestic Adoption in the country, and
developing
local
adoptive
families.
Through these partnerships, it is hoped that
there will be more Filipino children, who
will be provided with permanent homes by
Filipino families. In this way, the child’s
nationality will be preserved and the
trauma brought about by cultural
differences will be lessened.
Last 2 December 2008, the DSWD
Central Office issued NORFIL’s Amended
License to Operate, recognizing and
allowing it to operate as an adoption agency
in the National Capital Region (NCR) and
Regions III and IV-A. The agency’s services
include the following:
1) Adoption
promotion and advocacy; 2) Recruitment,
Assessment and Development of qualified
adoptive families; 3) Access to support
groups and related trainings and activities;
and 4) Post Adoption Services to local
adoptive parents to guide them with their
adoption concerns and to ensure the
success of adoption placement.
NORFIL is now accepting interested
adoptive applicants in the said regions.
Pre-adoption seminars are regularly held
every 2nd Friday of the month at the
NORFIL main office located at # 16 Mother
Ignacia Ave., cor Roces Ave., Quezon City.
For inquiries, please contact Ms. Ma. Robel
V. Luna, Adoption Social Worker tel. nos.
372-3577 to 79 local 30.
ACCAP
UPDATES…
All Year-round Wish list
Of ACCAP
OFFICE EQUIPMENT
Laptop
LCD Projector
Digital Camera
Scanner
Desktop Computer
Newsletter 2009
The 10th Global Consultation on Child Welfare
Services is on August 18 to 21, 2009 in Dusit
Hotel Makati
Theme: Adoption Practices:
Children’s Rights And Welfare
Registration
Fee:
Advancing
P10,000.00 for
participants
local
Registration now at ICAB office!
#2 Chicago corner Ermin Garcia Sts. Barangay
Pinagkaisahan, Cubao,
Quezon City
Tel. No. 721-9781
OFFICE SUPPLIES
Long and short bond papers
Stapler, Staple Remover
Paper Clips
Long and short folders
Long and short envelopes
Pens (black, blue and red)
Markers
VOLUNTEERS
to help;
- prepare project proposals for
ACCAP
- gather, design and edit articles
for newsletter
- develop fundraising activities for
ACCAP
ACCAP has its own yahoo group already.
It is time for all of us to join this group
and share the latest news about your
organization, share your views/opinions,
announce your events and other special
activities…
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/accap_members
samaritansplace_27@yahoo.com.
11 | P a g e
SCHEDULE OF RA 9523
ORIENTATION SEMINARS
28 May 2009
Asilo de la Milagrosa
Cebu City
(Central Visayas Region)
02 July 2009
White Cross Children’s Home
San Juan City
(National Capital Region)
(for ACCAP Members)
09 July 2009
DSWD Training Center
Baguio City
(Luzon Region)
17 August 2009
White Cross Children’s Home
San Juan City
(National Capital Region)
10 September 2009
Bacolod City
(Visayas Region)
08 October 2009
Cagayan de Oro City
(Mindanao Region)
Note:
September and October schedules are
tentative and may be changed.
For inquiries please call Tel. No.
(632)3766940 or email accaphil@yahoo.com.ph
look for Ms. Josie Matol.
ACCAP
Great Books on Sale!!!
Get a copy NOW!
Newsletter 2009
NEWSBITS…
ACCAP’s Voice
by Marc Morris
“Adopting A Filipino Child the
Intercountry Way”
by Atty. Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana
“Not Yet Home, Where Children Wait For
Adoption” by Ms. Coylee Gamboa
“Philippines, The Land Of My Birth”
by Ms. Coylee Gamboa
Contact: Ms. Josie Matol of ACCAP for details,
(632)3766940
12 | P a g e
As
the
Philippines
leading
association for agencies involved in
residential care and adoption placement
processing, ACCAP has an obligation and
opportunity to speak up and speak for our
clients and organization’s values on
critical issues. During the development
and deliberations on RA 9523, the ACCAP
Board and several member agencies
proved that the collective voice of CCA’s
does matter and makes a difference!
Recently, the newly elected ACCAP
Board discussed and decided that the
association can and should do more in
making the ACCAP voice heard in our
nation and within the adoption
community. So for starters, we want to
hear from you – our ACCAP members –
about the issues you think are important.
What vital concerns do you see that
ACCAP needs to address or respond to
through mass media or appeals to the
government or society at large?
In
future
ACCAP
general
assemblies, we hope to discuss drafts of
resolutions that can be voted on to
demonstrate our unity of purpose and
proactive leadership. CCA’s are on the
cutting edge…so let’s make our voices
heard…and together, our unified voice
can help our clients, agencies, nation and
adoption community become stronger!
ACCAP
For more information or sharing of
ideas on making ACCAP’s Voice heard,
please e-mail or our Executive Secretary
Josie Matol at accaphil@yahoo.com.ph or
Vice President for Internal Affairs, Marc
Morris at samaritansplace_27@yahoo.com.
Let us update one another.
***
Role of Civil Registrars in
applying New Child Adoption
Law Cited
CEBU CITY -- Lawyer Gwendolyn
Pimentel-Gana, President, Association of
Child-Caring Agencies of the Philippines
(ACCAP), today called on the civil registrars
to demonstrate their responsibility and
competence to ensure the successful
implementation of a landmark legislation
that simplifies the process for child
adoption in the country.
Gana said the civil registrars play a
key role in enforcing Republic Act 9523,
which has transferred to the Department of
Social Welfare and Development the
authority to declare abandoned, neglected
or surrendered children legally available for
adoption – a function that used to be
handled by the regular courts.
The role of the civil registrars, she
said, comes in when the secretary of the
DSWD declares that a child is legally
available for adoption through a proper
certification.
13 | P a g e
Newsletter 2009
The certification shall be the sole
basis for the immediate issuance by the
local civil registrar of a “foundling
certificate,” which the said official will
transmit to the National Statistics Office
within seven working days.
“The effect of this is that the child
and the prospective adoptive parents, as
well as the child-caring and placing
agencies, need not have to go through a
long and expensive judicial proceedings to
have an abandoned, neglected or
surrendered child declared legally free for
adoption,” Gana told members of the
Philippine Association of Civil Registrars at
its 10th national biennial convention at the
Cebu International Convention Center in
Mandaue City.
Gana urged civil registrars to be
sensitive and considerate of the sentiments
and welfare of abandoned children who
have no known details about their birth. In
the issuance of foundling certificates to
these abandoned children, she said the civil
registrars give them a legal personality in
society.
For all intents and purposes, she
said a foundling certificate is the equivalent
of a birth certificate.
However, she said that to spare
abandoned
children
from
social
discrimination
and
difficulties
in
establishing their identities, it would be
more appropriate to issue them live
certificates instead of foundling certificates,
since after all, they were born alive.
“Couldn’t we simply put the little
known facts of their births on a birth
ACCAP
certificate with maybe an annotation of
who supplied the said facts? We must look
for a solution that will balance the interests
of the government while giving preference,
hopefully, to the best interests of the child,”
Gana said.
She said another meaningful change
where the responsibility and competence of
the civil registrars come into play is that
they have been authorized under Republic
Act 9048 to act and approve petitions or
requests for corrections of clerical or
typographical errors and/or change in the
name or nickname of a person in the civil
registry without the need of a judicial order.
Describing
this
law
as
a
breakthrough in making civil registration
more child-friendly, Gana said RA 9048
spares the child and his or her parents from
the tedious process of going to the courts to
correct a mistake in the entry of the child’s
birth certificate or when there is a need to
change his or her name when said name
makes him or her an object of ridicule, is
tainted with dishonor or extremely difficult
to write or pronounce.
She also cited the role of civil
registrars in applying Republic Act 9255
(which amended Article 176 of the Family
Code) that allows children born out of
wedlock, or illegitimate children to use the
surname of their father if their filiations
have been expressly recognized by the
father through the record of birth
appearing in the civil registry.
This law has reduced to a great
degree the stigma that society has
associated with illegitimate children, Gana
said.
14 | P a g e
Newsletter 2009
Gana disputed the impression that
the job of civil registrars is mechanical or
ministerial just because this entails
continuous recording of vital events and
information in the life of an individual as
birth, marriage, death, as well as decrees,
legal instruments and judicial orders
affecting his or her civil status.
“However, I tell you there is much
joy to be found in being the public officer
who records the most vital events in a
person’s life. Yours is a role that has great
meaning to others. This is because through
your hands pass the records of all members
of the community. You keep track of the
history of our lives. Most of all, you must
know that you hold much power in
providing an easier life for children,” she
said.
Child adoption made easy
People’s Journal
June 27, 2009
ACCAP
Newsletter 2009
ACCAP ACTIVITIES…
Meeting of former ACCAP Officers
with DSWD Secretary Esperanza
Cabral. (Left to Right: Secretary
Cabral, Beth Cases, Mely V.
Reluya, Glady Bunao)
During the launching of the book “Not Yet Home:
Where Filipino Children Wait For Adoption” by
Coylee Gamboa, a joint project of ACCAP &
ICAB. Please contact Josie Matol for details. (Left
to Right: Shalom Ngoho, Glady Bunao, ACCAP
Vice President for External Affairs with author Ms.
Coylee Gamboa)
Marc Morris, ACCAP Vice President
for Internal Affairs (2009-2011) and
Josie Matol, ACCAP Executive
Secretary during our first Execom
Meeting (May 7, 2009)
Atty. Gwen Pimentel Gana, ACCAP
President with board members during the
Board Meeting (June 2009)(Left to Right:
Tere Nuque, Sr. Lorenz Sangalang, Gwen
gana and Josie Matol)
15 | P a g e
ACCAP
Newsletter 2009
SEMINARS & TRAININGS
Atty. Gwen w/ some ACCAP & ICAB
Officers. Photo was taken during the 9th
Global Consultation on site visitation in
Tagaytay.
(Left to Right: Danny Gatmaitan, Glady
Bunao, Imelda Ronda, Beth Cases, Cielo
Rondain, Mia Nanagad, Tet Nuque, Sr.
Corrie Evidente and Atty. Gwen Gana)
Speakers on Best Practices:
From Left to Right: Joyce Flora
(CRIBS), Glady Bunao (House of
Refuge), Deanna Collins (My
Father’s House) and Lita Fullerton
(Chosen Children)
Executive Directors and Supervisors
Training in Silang, Cavite
Training/Seminar on Alternative Parental
Care for Officers with Ms. Sonia Cueto as
the facilitator
16 | P a g e