DSWD-Caraga reiterates correct process for
adoption, foster care
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9
(PIA) - Several couples who do not have kids yet have applied for adoption and
foster care of children under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) Caraga.
The said agency has
stressed to all interested couples the importance of following the right and
legal process of adoption.
According to Thesa Joy
Musa, head of the adoption resource and referral unit of DSWD-Caraga, Republic
Act 10165 states that DSWD shall issue a foster family care license based on
the home study report submitted by the agency to determine the motivations,
capacities, and potentials for development of the applicants.
“So far, we haven’t
experienced any problem with the adoptive parents or couples because they knew
their roles and responsibilities to their adopting children. We hope this will
continue, as we want to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the children
within their custody,” shared Musa.
The license is renewable
every three years unless revoked by DSWD. A DSWD social worker will be assigned
to conduct the home study report which will be forwarded to the department.
She cited that there are
two types of adoption, namely, the permanent adoption and temporary or foster
care in which foster parents are authorized to provide shelter, food, parental
supervision, and sometimes even educational assistance to children who are not
related to them.
The appropriate process
still has to be followed to ensure their readiness in emotional, mental and
financial aspects as they pursue the adoption. The DSWD also conducts
counseling for applicants, including children to be adopted.
Meanwhile, Musa reminded
all applicants to be responsible being the second parent of the children to be
adopted and to give them a bright future. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Gov’t agencies assess VAWC cases in Caraga
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9
(PIA) -- The Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC) in the Caraga
region has constantly been monitoring the recorded cases of violence against
women and children in the region.
With the launching of
the gender-based violence observatory hub project, the RGADC aims to gather
data from the case handlers or Violence Against Women (VAW) desk officers in
different municipalities. This effort was also reiterated during the recently
held Summit on Gender-Based Violence in Butuan City.
According to Commission
on Human Rights (CHR)-Caraga regional director and RGADC chair, Atty. Jerefe
Tubigon-Bacang, the government has geared up its advocacy campaign at the
grassroots and ensures implementation of laws that protect the rights and
promote the welfare of women and children, as well as prevent any forms of
violence or abuse against them.
She further highlighted
that data gathering on gender-based violence and VAWC cases are regularly being
conducted in the Caraga region.
This will serve as bases
for the government in the creation of new policies, plan and activities for the
women and children sectors.
“We need to have data as
our evidence and basis for the programs, actions of the Commission on Human
Rights, as well as to make these data work,” cited Bacang.
VAW desk officer
Terresita Aya revealed that most of the cases she has handled are marital
problems which resulted in domestic violence. She encouraged the couples to
talk about their marital issues and resolve them peacefully to avoid ending up
in a resentful situation.
Atty. Khalil Lamigo of
the Philippine Ports Authority - Port Management Office of Agusan, stressed the
significant role of the VAW desk officers in the barangays, as well as
concerned government agencies so that people would become more empowered and
engaging in preventing cases of gender-based violence.
“For us government
workers, we should have a welcoming atmosphere in such a way that we don’t
easily judge those victims of violence. It is the reason why they are usually
hesitant to report their experiences of abuse because they are sometimes
prejudged,” Lamigo said.
Meanwhile, the
Philippine National Police (PNP) also called on the public to be alert and help
the authorities in solving related cases, by way of reporting to them any
untoward incident or domestic violence that they have seen and observed in
their respective barangays, so the PNP could respond and provide appropriate
action.
“Locals should never be
afraid to report any VAWC-related incident they know in their barangay because
it is in that way that they could help and save one’s life from any abuse or
violence,” said Police Major Marife Farol, chief, Family Juvenile Gender And
Development of Police Regional Office-13.
“We also have to
encourage men to avoid committing VAW and help advocate for a VAWC-free community,”
added Police Major Mirasol Torralba, chief, Women And Children Protection Desk
of PRO-13. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Lands intended for 'Plant! Plant! Plant!'
project inspected
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9 --
The 'Plant! Plant! Plant!' Project of the AGUSAN UP! under the provincial
government of Agusan del Norte is now gradually being implemented as several
hectares of land in the municipality of Buenavista in Agusan del Norte allotted
for the planting of the high-value crops were subjected to an ocular inspection
on January 8.
A total of 253 hectares
were covered on the first day of the conduct of the said inspection and will be
continued in the specified areas in the said municipality. The lands in the
city of Cabadbaran are set to be inspected next.
The said inspection was
conducted in order to determine the exact area of land and other necessities of
the groups and individuals who are tasked with the implementation of the
project.
It can be recalled that
a total of 8,000 hectares of land were committed by the initial batch of
farmers' groups during the consultation conducted on December 11, 2019.
The said land was to
make effective the vision of the AGUSAN UP!, an eight-point development agenda
of the province, wherein Agusan del Norte will be considered an agri-forest
processing center and economic zone of the Caraga region.
Such goal is seen to be
the solution for mitigating the poverty rate in the province thereby creating a
financially-secured living for every Agusanon. (DMRosales/LGU-Agusan del
Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
Tamang proseso ng pag-aampon at pag-aaruga
ng bata, binigyang-diin ng DSWD
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Enero
9 (PIA) - Ilang mag-asawa na wala pang anak ang nag-apply para sa adoption and
foster care o ang pag-aampon at pansamantalang pag-aruga ng mga bata na nasa
pangangalaga ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga.
Binigyang-diin ng
ahensiya sa mga mag-asawa ang kahalagahan ng tamang proseso at legal na paraan
ng pag-aampon.
Ayon kay Thesa Joy Musa,
head ng Adoption Resource And Referral Unit ng DSWD-Caraga, nakasaad sa
Republic Act 10165 na ang DSWD ang inatasang ahensiya na siyang mag-issue ng
foster family care license sa kwalipikadong aplikante base na rin sa home study
report na isusumete ng social worker. Ini-re-renew ang nasabing lisensya kada
tatlong taon.
Dagdag ni Musa, may
dalawang klase ng adoption, una dito ang permanent at isa naman ang temporary o
pansamantalang pag-alaga at pagbigay sa pangunahing pangangailangan ng bata
habang nasa poder nila ito.
Dumadaan din ito sa
proseso gaya ng pagtitiyak na handa ang emotional, mental at financial aspect
ng lahat ng may kaugnayan sa adoption. Nagsasagawa rin ng counselling ang DSWD
para rito.
Samantala, ipinaalala
rin ni Musa sa lahat ng aplikante na maging responsable bilang pangalawang
magulang ng mga batang kanilang kukupkopin at bigyan ito ng magandang
kinabukasan. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Mga kaso ng VAWC sa Caraga tinalakay ng mga
ahensiya
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Enero
9 (PIA) -- Tinutukan ngayon ng Regional Gender and Development Committee
(RGADC) ng Caraga region ang pagtaas ng kaso ng violence against women and
children (VAWC) sa rehiyon.
Ito ay sa tulong na rin
ng paglulunsad ng Gender-Based Violence Observatory Hub Project sa Caraga at sa
harap ng pagdaraos ng Summit Against Gender-Based Violence sa lungsod ng
Butuan.
Ayon kay Commission on
Human Rights (CHR)-Caraga regional director at RGADC chair Atty. Jerefe
Tubigon-Bacang, layon ng gobyerno na mas mapaigting pa ang pagpapatupad ng mga
batas na layong protektahan ang karapatan ng mga kababaihan at bata laban sa
anumang uri ng karahasan at pang-aabuso.
Regular na ang
pagkakalap ng datos na may kinalaman sa gender-based violence lalo na sa VAWC.
At magiging basehan ito sa mga gagawing hakbang ng gobyerno, maging ang mga
plano at aktibidad para sa ikabubuti ng nasabing sektor.
“Kailangan natin ng mga
datos para maging ebidensiya at basehan ng Commission on Human Rights sa pagbuo
ng mga programa at aksyon, at para maging makabuluhan ang pagamit ng mga datus
na ito,” banggit ni Bacang.
Ayon naman kay VAW desk
officer Teresita Aya, isa sa mga kaso na madalas na kanilang nireresolba ay ang
problema ng mga mag-asawa na humahantong sa domestic violence.
Ayon naman kay Atty.
Khalil Lamigo ng Philippine Ports Authority - Port Management Office of Agusan,
mahalaga ang papel ng VAW desk officers sa mga barangay, maging ng mga
kinauukulang ahensiya upang mahimok na magreport ang mga biktima ng
gender-based violence para sila ay matulungan din.
“Para sa ating mga
empleyado ng gobyerno, dapat ay maging sensitibo tayo sa pagtanggap ng report
sa VAWC at hindi dapat natin hinuhusgahan agad ang mga biktima dahil sa
sitwasyon nila. Dapat ay maging patas tayo upang hindi sila magdalawang isip na
ireport ang kanilang mapait na karanasan,” ani ni Lamigo.
Samantala, nanawagan
naman ang Philippine National Police (PNP) sa publiko na maging alerto at
tumulong sa otoridad na maipaabot sa kanila ang anumang insidente o reklamong
may kinalaman sa gender-based violence at vawc upang maaksyunan agad nila ito.
“Kinakailangan po ang
kooperasyon ng bawat mamamayan lalu na po sa pagreport ng mga kaso ng VAWC
upang marespondehan po ito ng otoridad at mabigyang-tugon ng mga kinauukulang
ahensiya. Huwag po tayong matakot dahil handa pong tumulong ang kapulisan sa
mga biktima ng anumang pang-aabuso,” pahayag ni Police Major Marife Farol, hepe
ng Family Juvenile Gender and Development ng Police Regional Office (PRO)-13.
“Inaasahan din natin na
an gating mga kalalakihan ay tutulong sa pagsugpo ng karahasan at pang-aabuso
sa komunidad,” dagdag ni Police Major Mirasol Torralba, hepe ng Women And
Children Protection Desk ng PRO-13. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
