What does the government do for the abandoned children? Is there a government agency tasked to deal with the needs of these children? Are there programs the government implements to let them feel and live like other children do?

When a child is born he/she has four senses. He/she can hear voices and any other noises. He/she can feel the caring and the pain inducing touches, the cold embrace of the air, the warmth embrace of a human being. He/she can smell good and pungent odors. He/she can savor the taste of milk.

The human senses are the ones responsible of connecting man to the environment. A new born child is made aware by his/her senses that he/she is not alone, and not supposed to be alone, in this world.

Two schools of thought teach that human being is a social animal, and basically possessive. These explain why a child cries during birth. He/she wants to belong to the community whose voices and caring touches he/she hears and feels. He/she wants to possess the warmth of people’s embrace and very good tasting milk.

These simple needs grow as the child grows. There will be needs for additional food, drink, cloths, shelter, medicine, parental love, toys. There will be needs and desires for religion, education, job, possessions, promotion, fame, honor, power, partner in life.

There are some parents who give whatever their children request. They do not care whether those are needs or wants. Some parents are successful in providing their children’s needs. Others are able to give the basic needs only. There are some also who cannot even afford to give the basic needs of their children.

In some countries, these couples who cannot afford to give even the basic needs of their children are helped by the government. Free medicines and hospitalization are given. Some countries provide free education. Other countries provide job placements.

In the Philippines there are couples who cannot even answer the basic needs of their children. They are contented with giving food just enough for survival. Aware that they cannot send their children to college or even secondary school, they prepare them to take over

their jobs when they retire. The peddlers train their children to be peddlers, and the scavengers prepare their children to be scavengers.

Worst of all, there are parents who abandon their children. Many of the abandoned children are found dead with the garbage. Some abandoned children are fortunate enough and turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The DSWD is the national agency tasked by the government to take care of the abandoned children. It is the one responsible in providing for the basic needs of the

children. It provides shelter, food, cloths, medicines and toys, and prospective poster parents for the abandoned children.

Just recently, the DSWD encouraged the public to adopt children. Many children are already being taken cared of at the DSWD all over the country. The government spends a lot of money for them every year.

Moreover, when a child is adopted, he/she would have the chance to belong to a well off family. He/she would have a great chance to possess many things like education, honor, fame, and respect.

Here in Capiz, there are people who want to adopt a child. Mrs. Mayo is one of them.

She has served as very good mother to her children. With her husband, she observed proper family planning. Having just enough number of children was an advantage to them. They were able to raise their children properly. They were able to send their children to school.

Her children are all professionals now. They are all employed. They already have their respective families.

Mrs. Mayo has already retired as a public school teacher. Most of her times now she spends at home. Because her children are married already, she is left alone with her niece.

Her niece had been with her for around 9 years. Within that long span of time she served as mother to her niece. She has been sending her to school.

The mother-daughter relationship between her and her niece has developed so well. That made her think of legally adopting the child. The parents of the child have been witnesses as to how she nurtured their child. They are living witnesses that she acted like real parent to their child. That is the reason why they themselves agree and support her plan to adopt their child.

Mrs. Mayo confirmed to Capiz Talks that despite of her experience in rearing her children, it is not easy for her to adopt her own niece. There are procedures to follow. There are requirements to submit. She said that she is being required of a show money.

Perhaps the DSWD just want to make sure that she can raise the child. However, the amount being asked is a bit high.

Another requirement in adopting a child is the legal document. To have this, the party who wishes to adopt has to hire a lawyer. He/she also has to have the notice of hearing published in a newspaper.

It seems that the government wants to ensure the future of the adopted child. That is right. However, considering the amount of money behind the required documents and procedures, the adoption is very costly. The person who would be allowed to adopt has to be, at least, in the middle class. These are the people who can answer the basic needs and some desires. This is one of the reasons why very few adopt.

For the benefit of the government, the adopting party, and the children subject for adoption, Capiz Talks suggests that the DSWD lower its standard. Try to conduct surveys and know how much are the monthly incomes of the ordinary couples, who are able to answer the basic needs of their children, including secondary education. If a couple whose monthly income is P10,000 can send a child up to secondary education, then a childless couple who has the same monthly income must be allowed to adopt a child.

Regarding the above mentioned expenses, maybe it is better if, and Capiz Talks suggests that, the government should take charge of them. There are many lawyers in the Public Attorney’s Offices nation-wide, who can handle the hearings. The government for sure can afford to pay the publication expenses.

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