Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act

Summary of Republic Act No. 11642 (Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act):

General Provisions (Sections 1-4):
- Establishes policies and objectives for alternative child care, prioritizing domestic adoption and the best interest of the child.
- Defines key terms related to adoption and alternative child care.

National Authority for Child Care (NACC) (Sections 5-10):
- Reorganizes the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) into the NACC, a quasi-judicial agency on alternative child care.
- Outlines the jurisdiction, composition, functions, and staffing of the NACC.
- Establishes Regional Alternative Child Care Offices (RACCOs) and Regional Child Placement Committees (RCPCs).

Declaration of a Child Legally Available for Adoption (Sections 11-20):
- Outlines the process for declaring a child legally available for adoption (CDCLAA) in cases of involuntary commitment, voluntary commitment, and foundlings. (Sections 11-13)
- Specifies who may file a petition for CDCLAA, the required documents, and the procedure for filing. (Sections 12-14)
- Provides for opposition to the petition for CDCLAA and the appeal process. (Sections 16-17)
- Requires counseling services for biological parents, prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), and adoptees. (Section 19)
- Mandates efforts to locate biological parents and allows for biological parent search by adoptees. (Section 20)
- Specifies who may adopt and who may be adopted. (Sections 21-22)

Adoption Procedure (Sections 24-40):
- Outlines the documentary requirements for PAPs. (Section 24)
- Requires a case study and home study report by an adoption social worker. (Section 25)
- Describes the matching process for legally available children and approved PAPs. (Section 26)
- Requires personal appearance of PAPs and issuance of Pre-Adoption Placement Authority (PAPA). (Sections 27-28)
- Provides for Supervised Trial Custody (STC) and filing of the Petition for Adoption. (Sections 29-31)
- Outlines the administrative adoption process, including review by RACCOs, Deputy Director for Services, and Executive Director. (Section 32)
- Allows for objections to the petition and outlines the process for issuing the Order of Adoption. (Sections 33-34)
- Provides for judicial recourse and appeal of adoption orders. (Section 35)
- Grants benefits to adoptive parents, including maternity and paternity leaves. (Section 36)
- Addresses civil registry records and confidentiality of adoption proceedings. (Sections 37-39)
- Allows for assistance to indigent PAPs through socialized fees and legal aid. (Section 40)

Effects of Adoption (Sections 41-43):
- Establishes the legitimacy of the adoptee as the child of the adopter, with all rights and obligations. (Section 41)
- Transfers parental authority to the adopters, except in cases where the biological parent is the spouse of the adopter. (Section 42)
- Provides for reciprocal rights of succession between adopters and adoptees. (Section 43)

Post-Adoption Services (Sections 44-53):
- Requires assistance in adoption telling and preparation for biological family search and meetup. (Sections 44-45)
- Mandates after-care monitoring and submission of reports by adoption social workers. (Section 46)
- Outlines grounds for rescission of adoption, including procedures and effects. (Sections 47-53)

Violations and Penalties (Section 54):
- Imposes penalties for obtaining consent through coercion, non-compliance with procedures, subjecting the child to danger, simulation of birth, and violation of confidentiality.
- Provides for additional penalties for government officials, foreign nationals, and syndicates involved in violations.
- Prohibits adoption discrimination acts and imposes fines for such acts.

Final Provisions (Sections 55-63):
- Requires information dissemination and advocacy campaigns on adoption and alternative child care. (Section 55)
- Provides for a transitory clause and guidelines for implementation during the establishment of the NACC. (Section 56)
- Designates the second week of June as Adoption and Alternative Child Care Week. (Section 57)
- Appropriates funds for implementation and requires the formulation of Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). (Sections 58-59)
- Includes a saving clause, separability clause, and repealing clause. (Sections 60-62)
- Sets the effectivity date of the Act. (Section 63)