ILOILO City — Western Visayas remains free of online or black-market baby-selling cases, according to child welfare authorities even as they continue to grapple with illegal adoption arrangements and dozens of simulated birth cases across the region.
The Regional Alternative Child Care Office (RACCO) said no cases involving the sale of babies through online platforms or the black market have been documented in the region, but warned that illegal direct placements and simulated births continue to pose challenges to child welfare authorities.
“We are grateful that, to date, there have been no reported instances of online baby selling. However, the trend we often encounter is illegal direct placement, where biological mothers opt to leave their children in the care of chosen individuals, which is illegal under our laws,” said Janice Brasileño, RACCO regional head.
Brasileño said direct placements occur when biological parents personally choose individuals to care for their children instead of going through legal adoption procedures prescribed under Republic Act No. 11642 or the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act.
She urged biological mothers experiencing difficulties in caring for their children to seek assistance from local government social workers instead of resorting to unauthorized arrangements.
“This is our advice: if a child is in distress, it is far better to surrender them to LGUs (local government units) and social workers. This way, alternative care options can be explored,” said Brasileño.
RACCO carefully evaluates each case to determine the most appropriate intervention for the child, she stressed.
“In certain crises, a child may need temporary care, allowing the original family time to become stable again. This opens up the possibility of family reunification,” Brasileño explained.
RACCO also reminded prospective adoptive parents to follow legal procedures and avoid attempts to pre-identify children for adoption.
“We strongly encourage families to apply as regular adoptive parents through the correct legal channels,” Brasileño urged.
The law prohibits prospective adoptive parents from selecting a specific child before undergoing the legal adoption process.
“For instance, if a child care agency has five children available for adoption, a prospective adoptive parent cannot request a specific child based on prior knowledge. This policy ensures that all children have a fair opportunity for placement,” Brasileño said.
While no online baby-selling cases have been reported, RACCO disclosed that it continues to process cases involving simulated births, an illegal practice in which birth records are falsified to make it appear that a child was born to someone who is not the biological mother.
“We have 52 cases since March 29, 2019. The petitioners (for legal adoption) are the ones nga nag-simulate mismo. Sila ga-reflect nga mother sa birth certificate when in fact they are not. RACCO social workers check and review the documents. Sila ga-conduct validation of the petition for legal adoption,” said Brasileño.
Iloilo has the highest number of adoption-related cases in the region, followed by Negros Occidental, she added.
To address simulated birth cases, the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) is encouraging families to avail themselves of the remedies provided under Republic Act No. 11222 or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act.
“Through this legislation, families can amend their records by March 29, 2029, which alleviates legal repercussions while streamlining the process of official recognition,” Brasileño said. “This is a critical initiative to ensure that all adoptions can be made legal, providing families peace of mind while bolstering child safety.”
RACCO reported that from 2023 to mid-2026, a total of 185 domestic administrative adoption cases were filed in Western Visayas. Of these, 128 resulted in Orders of Adoption, while 119 received Certificates of Finality.
The region currently has 46 children under foster care and 45 licensed foster parents. RACCO has also conducted 58 regional matching conferences to help connect children with prospective adoptive families.
It is intensifying efforts to educate the public about legal adoption procedures under the theme “Love Makes a Family.”
“Our focus continues to be on providing children with loving and supportive environments. We invite families to engage with the adoption process and help us ensure that every child has the opportunity to find a nurturing home,” said Brasileño./PN
