This coming September marks our 3-year residency here in the Philippines so I decided to contact DSWD to get an update on our adoption process last week. The Social Worker who originally did our home study, interview and received our required paperwork last May 2015 left DSWD shortly after so our case was passed down to her supervisor.
In the email, I asked what required paperwork we needed to turn in to her since Patrick and I needed a new NBI Clearance and Medical Certificates. I also mentioned that I was to give birth this coming August so we wanted to postponed our adoption until April 2017 to give us a chance to adjust to the new baby. After a couple of days, she finally emails me back and told me to contact her back in 2-years after I give birth because "there should have 2-years nurturance required" for our new baby. I emailed her back and let her know that our original social worker never mentioned this requirement to us knowing that my husband and I were trying to get pregnant the whole time. It's upsetting and I'm very disappointed that we were misinformed, but we are more than willing and very thankful to be able to adopt in the first place, even if it takes 2-years.
I'm still curious though if this "2-year bonding period" is under the Philippine Law or just a policy that adoption agency follows. According to an email from another Social Worker (private adoption agency in Manila), "it is a policy, but we could not remember where it is written." And if so, no one from DSWD has been able to provide me a copy of their memorandum of such policy. Very frustrating... definitely "more fun in the Philippines."
So... August 2018 is when we can continue our adoption process. By then, at least Patrick will be a Pilipino-Citizen already!
