A Netherlands-based international law group has cited the Philippines’ good practices on inter-country adoption system as it urged other countries to learn how the adoption system is being done in the country.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the Permanent Bureau of The Hague Conference on Private International Law has recognized the exemplary practices of the Philippines in the field of international adoption.

The Hague Conference on Private International Law is an international organization that works for the progressive unification of the rules of private international law.

In a letter to the DSWD, Jennifer Degeling of the Permanent Bureau stated that the Philippines “has a very good practice on inter-country adoption.”

The Philippines’ inter-country adoption program is being implemented by the Inter-country Adoption Board (ICAB), an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which serves as the central authority for inter-country adoption.

Cabral is the chairperson of ICAB with Undersecretary Luwalhati F. Pablo as alternate chairperson.

Degeling said with the good practices of the Philippines, the country’s inter-country adoption system will be included in the new Permanent Bureau’s “Inter-country Adoption Guide to Good Practice.”

Cabral said the proposal of the Permanent Bureau to include the Philippines’ good practices will be in the chapter entitled, “Perspectives from Receiving Countries and Countries of Origin.”

This will contain a description of the structures and arrangements regarding accredited bodies in the Philippines, Cabral said.