Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NR # 4161B
The bill seeks to combine all the advantages of the private foster family through an
Alternative Care Agency (ACA) with those of the best type of childrens home, while
eliminating the disadvantages.
According to Nograles, the ACA is basically very like an ordinary private foster
family. It can be supervised and controlled in its work, and adults in-charge of the
children can be carefully selected and trained.
The ACA has the merit of existing solely in the interests of the children committed
to its care. It is exclusively concerned with meeting their needs and with caring for their
many and diverse problems, Nograles said.
Further, alternative care of children does not totally cut off childrens contact with
their biological families. Except when the childrens welfare will be endangered, or they
are abused by their own family members, alternative care of children allows biological
parents and families to participate in the rearing of the children given to the care of ACAs.
Under the measure, ACA a child-rearing or child-placing institution is established,
duly licensed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in
coordination with the Local Government Unit (LGU).
ACAs shall be in loco parentis, exercising the rights, duties and liabilities of
persons exercising substitute parental authority over the children under their foster care.
The bill provides that a child who is abandoned, surrendered, neglected, dependent
or orphaned, victim of sexual, physical and other forms of abuse or exploitation and with
special needs may be placed in alternative care.
Others who may also be placed in alternative care are the following: a child whose
family members are temporarily or permanently unable or unwilling to provide the child
with adequate care; a child who needs long-term and cannot be placed for domestic
adoption; under socially difficult circumstances; who committed a minor offense but is
released or recognizance and who is in need of special protection as assessed by the
DSWD.
The DSWD, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health (DOH),
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Council of Welfare of Children (CWC), League of
Provinces, Cities and Municipalities and Liga ng mga Barangay are mandated to prepare
and draft the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to operationalize the provisions
of this Act. (30) lvc