The Department of Social Welfare and Development leads the observance of Adoption Consciousness Week from  February 6 to 13.

The observance of this event is mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 72.  It aims to elicit support to the growing number of orphaned, abandoned or neglected Filipino children in need of love and permanent families.

Social Welfare and Development Acting Secretary Celia Capadocia-Yangco said that adoption is a welfare and protective measure that provides an orphaned, voluntarily surrendered or abandoned child with a permanent family who will love and protect the child.

Legal adoption gives the child the same rights and duties as if he or she is a biological child of the adoptive parents.

"Adoption procedures become complicated when prospective adoptive parents try to commit prohibited acts such as simulation of birth certificates or making private arrangements in getting a child," Acting Secretary Yangco said.

"In legal adoption, the adopted child and the adoptive parents acquire the reciprocal rights and obligations arising from the relationship of parents and child including the rights of the adopted child to use the surname of the adoptive families," Acting Secretary Yangco emphasized.
"The DSWD is encouraging prospective adoptive parents to go to a licensed adoption agency which matches adoptive families to abandoned, neglected or orphaned children to ensure that they are doing the right processes," the DSWD chief stated.

To highlight the celebration, a forum on adoption will be held at the New Session Hall of the Makati City Hall on February 10, 2010. Atty. Noel Del Prado, consultant of the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) will discuss the importance of going through the legal adoption procedures to ensure the security and protection of neglected and abandoned children.