Philippines

The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia that is an archipelago of more than seven thousand islands. The capital city is Manila, located on the large northern island of Luzon.

From the mid-1500s until the late 1800s, the Philippine islands were under Spanish rule. The influence of the U.S. was prevalent in the early 1900s until 1935, when the Philippines were declared a commonwealth. The Philippines has developed a mixed culture from the blending of foreign influences with native elements. Today, the Muslims and some of the isolated tribes are the only people whose culture remains unmodified by Spanish and American influences.

Social services in the Philippines are delivered through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This is part of the executive branch of the Filipino Government, and their goal is to promote social development and to accept responsibility for the protection of social welfare rights. The DSWD Annual Report for 2008 highlights programs for Filipino citizens whose lives are negatively impacted by poverty, food insecurity, energy crises, and living in internally conflicted areas.

Bethany has worked in the Philippines since 1986, primarily in intercountry adoptions. The Philippines is a signatory of the UN Convention on the Rights of Children, with The Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB) being the Central Authority in the Philippines.

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Adoption
Intercountry Adoption