[johnny]

We are just awaiting the appointment at the embassy to get the IR-2 visa for our son and we’ll finally be experiencing life as a family again……. I think I’m going to get a new Job offer too… this is just the right timing too… wathcing over me. I just hope and pray there are no more problems have to have those doubts... I'm not sure how active I'll be here on the forum and other forums but I'm sure I'll be at least lurking around waiting for ICARE and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 happenings. Help to push www.passicare.com it's the best solution for getting kids a home that don't qualify as orphans because once your adoption is finale, citizenship would already be. I'm thinking to put some real effort here myself because Hague rules really suck! for families.

Johnny

I know it looks like good bye but it's not.....

[eastcoast]

Congrats JOHNNY!

There's also a movement in the Philippines fostered by the Filipino senator, Nene Pimentel, to give DSWD more power.

http://www.nenepimentel.org/speeches...0_adoption.asp

[johnny]

Interesting read and it actually makes me think there is yet still hope, however there is a conflict with The Hague (Intercountry Adoptions) since the Philippines is a Hague country. The same is true with the US rules.

He or the advisors of his speech is full of it and they still haven’t figured it out. Human nature is human nature no matter if advancement has happen to a country or not. There will always be the good, the bad, and the ugly. What they are beginning to realize that the Hague rules don't really work. This is because children are identified to be the problem when the problem is really the criminal element and the rules are making criminals out of people that have not other intentions other than caring for child that needs it. With these realizations, we are starting to see clamoring about adoption reform. In the US you see it in the ICARE Act. Eventually the criminal element of exploitation and trafficking will start being displayed in studies that identify criminal activity but for now the politicians and the activist groups that “think” they are protecting children are busy collecting and making the numbers that make them look good.

The DSWD is actually the only agency in the Philippines that has the authority to place children other than the bio-parents. This is what Family Law says anyway. The courts usually follow the recommendations of the social worker because they are the expert testimony that prescribes the best interest of the child which is paramount. The court really only has the authority to say no, if the rules are not complied with. They are about the rules and not the children. DSWD is about the children.

IMHO,

Johnny
Rules are for people that follow the rules. Criminals don't care about the rules so they are not bound by them.

BTW: The Philippines has always been quite active with regards to children’s protection for quite some time http://www.cwc.gov.ph