Social Welfare Office Intensifies Drive On Legal Adoption

Social Welfare Operations Chief Consejo Usman speaks to media in Zamboanga City in Mindanao during the Adoption Consciousness Week. And Social Welfare Officer Josie Reyes also speaks to a crowd at the Plaza Pershing where orphaned children dance and show their talent. The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Mindanao puts up an Adoption Held Desk at the Southway Square in Zamboanga City.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 23, 2009) – The weeklong celebration of the Adoption Consciousness Week ended on Tuesday with the successful advocacy and community awareness on legal adoption in Zamboanga City.

The local Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-Region 9) spearheaded the activities.

Consejo Usman, DSWD 9 Operations Division Chief, emphasized the need for a maximized advocacy on adoption.

“We need to inform the public constantly about the problems that these children [orphans] face… they do not have what is really important, and that is a family… the government recognizes these children’s troubles, and one measure to really step up awareness is the holding of a week-long celebration aimed at communicating to the public what needs to be communicated; that these children deserve a family, a home, food, a future, care and most importantly, love,” Usman said.

Aside from the activities, other awareness-raising projects were also held in Zamboanga Cit, including the setting up of an Adoption Help Desks in local malls, as well as advocacy programs on television and radio.

Josefina Reyes, Social Welfare Officer II and focal person for adoption, expressed her gratitude to all those who participated in the event.

“It really pains us to see children suffer, especially when they aren’t meant to… however, seeing how much support we get from the community, the public and the private sector, it gives us a sense of hope that indeed, homeless children will eventually have families, and will live productive and successful lives in the future,” Reyes said. (Dominic Sanchez)