Ouch!... I realize that waiting and being unsure of the outcome is difficult to the point of torture, believe me.... but that’s rude….Think about it! ICAB is very visible and would not be able to get away with fixing the numbers. In my many years involved in the process, I have never come across any evidence that would imply ICAB is anything but squeaky-clean. There are too many checks and balances. Publishing up-to-date numbers that they can be so easily accessed is a step in truly being transparent. Now if we can just get ICAB to be transparent to PAP’s about the process it could relieve a lot of stress.
I suspect that ICAB's hands are tied. I'm sure they can push to get more worker bees to help shuffle the paperwork but they can't go beyond the limit so what would be the justification?
Read through the rules (Intercountry Adoption Law of 1995 or Republic Act 8043) through the link on this page.
http://www.gov.ph/faqs/adoption.asp
You will find they are limited to 600 per year for the first five years. Thus setting the number of personnel ICAB can have in it's organization. I was under the impression that it is reasonable for one (1) social worker to handle up-to 50 cases a year. I don't know if there are any amendments since the board changed or if there are any executive orders or presidential decrees to adjust the number. If there were none, I would suspect unless ICAB provides evidence that the number should be increased due to the number of children available and waiting then I think the 600 number would still be in effect.
I'm not sure if ICAB could argue that it is in the best interest of the children for them to be placed as soon as possible as the central authority. I say this because it may be a conflict of their mandated rules. As a social worker, well is obviously the necessary thing to do. As an adoptive parent, I would suggest using the U.S. policy prioritizing the I-600/a process for adoption/orphans as an example. The policy and justification of the policy could be cited in an argument to get additional help and moneys. Moneys could easily be addressed in the form of increased fees. $150 would generate P5M. I’m sure every PAP would accept the additional fee but more than that it just makes since to get the children in a home.
Johnny