Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Friday (January 3) the agency is still attending to the needs of three Filipina surrogate mothers from Cambodia who opted to stay in DSWD’s residential facilities instead of being reintegrated to their respective families.

“I believe three women are staying with us and we will make sure that they get all the necessary psychosocial interventions before they are reintegrated back into their families or communities,” the DSWD chief explained during his interview on ANC Digital.

Secretary Gatchalian told ANC that DSWD social workers and case managers are on-top of the situation to assist the three surrogate mothers so that before they are reintegrated back to their families and communities, they are mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared.

“Reintegration is a very tricky process. You don’t just simply match them together physically, but there’s that emotional or mental preparation that has to take place. Remember what they went through is no simple feat. It’s a horrific event that should happen to no one,” the DSWD chief pointed out.

When asked about the possibility that the babies of the surrogate mothers will be up for adoption, Secretary Gatchalian was firm that the best interest of children will still prevail.

“We always hope that we don’t have to separate a mother from a child, so that’s the ultimate goal,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

“Our social workers are mending the emotional wounds and the psychosocial wounds brought about by this traumatic experience that these women went through with the ultimate hope that all of them will be capable to become mothers that we can reintegrate back to their families,” the DSWD chief added.

Secretary Gatchalian said the social workers who are acting as individual case managers are armed and trained to look at the fitness of the individuals to become parents.

The 13 surrogate mothers were among 24 foreign women arrested by the Cambodian police in Kandal province in September 2024 on charges of attempted cross-border human trafficking.

On December 29, the 13 surrogate mothers arrived in the Philippines after receiving a Royal Pardon following an appeal by the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh, supported by the Royal Government of Cambodia. (AKDL)

 

Tagalog Version

Social workers patuloy ang pagkalinga sa 3 Pinay surrogate moms bago bumalik sa kanilang mga pamilya – DSWD chief

Inihayag ni Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian na patuloy na kinakalinga ng ahensya ang tatlong Pinay surrogate mothers mula sa Cambodia na piniling mamalagi sa residential facilities sa halip na ma-reintegrate sa kani-kanilang pamilya.

“I believe three women are staying with us and we will make sure that they get all the necessary psychosocial interventions before they are reintegrated back into their families or communities,”sabi ng DSWD chief sa isang panayam sa ANC Digital.

Sabi pa ni Secretary Gatchalian, ang mga social workers at case managers ang umaasiste at tumutulong sa tatlong surrogate mothers upang matiyak na sila ay mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared bago ang reintegration.

“Reintegration is a very tricky process. You don’t just simply match them together physically, but there’s that emotional or mental preparation that has to take place. Remember what they went through is no simple feat. It’s a horrific event that should happen to no one,” paglilinaw ng DSWD chief.

Bilang tugon naman sa tanong sa posibilidad na ipaampon ang anak ng mga surrogate mothers, sinabi ng Kalihim na kung ano ang nararapat gawin para sa kapakanan ng mga bata ay gagawin ng DSWD.

“We always hope that we don’t have to separate a mother from a child, so that’s the ultimate goal,” sabi pa ni Secretary Gatchalian.

Dagdag pa niya, “Our social workers are mending the emotional wounds and the psychosocial wounds brought about by this traumatic experience that these women went through with the ultimate hope that all of them will be capable to become mothers that we can reintegrate back to their families.”

Ang 13 surrogate mothers ay kabilang sa 24 foreign women na inaresto ng Cambodian police sa Kandal province nitong September 2024 sa kasong attempted cross-border human trafficking.

Nitong December 29, dumating sa bansa ang 13 Pinay surrogate mothers matapos na mabigyan ng Royal Pardon base na rin sa apila ng Philippine Embassy sa Phnom Penh, na sinuportahan naman ng Royal Government of Cambodia.# (MVC)