One of the Jessica Soho’s stories last Sunday reminded me of a conversation I had with a driver. He said, apart from working as a taxi service for grab, he also sidelines as driver for a bahay-ampunan (adoption-house)based somewhere in the outskirts of Manila.
This NGO is kinda successful in a way, he said, because it helped a lot of kids get new parents. I asked him what exactly was his role in the NGO. Just a driver ma’am. I drive those couples from the airport to the bahay-ampunan (adoption house). If they need ride somewhere else, I do that, too. Then, I also drive them to the airport with their adopted kid.
So I asked him, paano po ba muna nangyayari, bakit napupunta sa bahay ampuanan ang mga kids, iniwan ba ng magulang? May iba daw ganun ang kwento (what usually happens, why do they end up in the adoption house, did the parents leave them there? There are kids with that kind of story he said). Similar to those tagalog old movies. Babies end up in churches. But most often daw, naligaw ang mga bata (the kids get lost). They took a bus, or a jeep and ended up somewhere. Good Samaritans bring them to police or DSWD or bahay ampunan. They stay in the bahay ampunan until their parents claim them.
In 2 years, if no one claims them, they will be given new identities legally. Dadaan daw iyan sa processo… may mga hearings (It will go through a process...there will be hearings). Then, they will be paired with people looking for a son or a daughter. Usually foreigners.
Once paired, magkakaroon ng initial meeting (there will be initial meeting). Then papers will be processed. After that, the foundling will fly with the adoptive parents. So Kung walang mag-“claim” ay ganyan (if no one would claim them that will happen).
May kwento po ba na may dumating na magulang, I asked (is there even a story with a happy ending?). Bihira, parang isang lang natatandaan ko, he said (Seldom, i can only remember one story now). All papers were done and they were about to fly, when the mother arrived in the bahay-ampunan looking for her son. But, since the child has a new identity legally, she cannot just bring him home. She has to prove she is really the mother by bringing docs like birth certificate, photos, baptismal cert, plus testimonials from families and friends. To seal the “claim” the final proof must be provided--a DNA test.
A DNA test cost around P40,000. Provide that or nothing. So if you are peso-less, sorry no-can-do. The boy’s mother arrived in the nick of time, she provided all the docs but has no money for the DNA. She was heartbroken. But, she was fated to have her boy back, I guess, said the driver. There was a broadcaster, Ted Failon, who heard the commotion. He was there because he was doing some charity thing. When he found out about it, he immediately gave the mother P40,000 for the DNA test. Eventually, the test came positive. That was a happier ending than going abroad in my opinion, manong driver said.
He was quick to add that of course going with a new parent is also a happy ending for many. Some of them boys and girls now have nice lives. Then lastly I asked, manong paano po yung 2 year time frame bago legally they change the identity... may website ba na pwedeng tignan or binobroadcast ba nila na may nakita o dinala sa kanilang mga bata (is there a website to browse or do they announce on radio/tv that they have found or someone brought children to their office)?
In truth he said, he doesn’t know. I guess, he said, they just wait. Maybe there is a website and we just don't know.
Anyways, I attended a birthday party in a foundling home in boy’s town Marikina about a month ago. You will be surprised how many kids are there. Daming tanong sa isip ko (my mind was bothered by too many questions). The foundling in Jessica Soho’s story came back to the country. But, this time around it was the son who was looking for his mother. Soho’s team helped in the search. Like the mother and the son, we have to wait a couple of weeks for the result of the DNA test. I really hope it is a match. (by Ramona Nieva)
UPDATE:
It was a MATCH :) Happy tears for them! look for it on facebook using these:
#KMJS12: Jojo de Carteret's Homecoming
This NGO is kinda successful in a way, he said, because it helped a lot of kids get new parents. I asked him what exactly was his role in the NGO. Just a driver ma’am. I drive those couples from the airport to the bahay-ampunan (adoption house). If they need ride somewhere else, I do that, too. Then, I also drive them to the airport with their adopted kid.
So I asked him, paano po ba muna nangyayari, bakit napupunta sa bahay ampuanan ang mga kids, iniwan ba ng magulang? May iba daw ganun ang kwento (what usually happens, why do they end up in the adoption house, did the parents leave them there? There are kids with that kind of story he said). Similar to those tagalog old movies. Babies end up in churches. But most often daw, naligaw ang mga bata (the kids get lost). They took a bus, or a jeep and ended up somewhere. Good Samaritans bring them to police or DSWD or bahay ampunan. They stay in the bahay ampunan until their parents claim them.
In 2 years, if no one claims them, they will be given new identities legally. Dadaan daw iyan sa processo… may mga hearings (It will go through a process...there will be hearings). Then, they will be paired with people looking for a son or a daughter. Usually foreigners.
Once paired, magkakaroon ng initial meeting (there will be initial meeting). Then papers will be processed. After that, the foundling will fly with the adoptive parents. So Kung walang mag-“claim” ay ganyan (if no one would claim them that will happen).
May kwento po ba na may dumating na magulang, I asked (is there even a story with a happy ending?). Bihira, parang isang lang natatandaan ko, he said (Seldom, i can only remember one story now). All papers were done and they were about to fly, when the mother arrived in the bahay-ampunan looking for her son. But, since the child has a new identity legally, she cannot just bring him home. She has to prove she is really the mother by bringing docs like birth certificate, photos, baptismal cert, plus testimonials from families and friends. To seal the “claim” the final proof must be provided--a DNA test.
A DNA test cost around P40,000. Provide that or nothing. So if you are peso-less, sorry no-can-do. The boy’s mother arrived in the nick of time, she provided all the docs but has no money for the DNA. She was heartbroken. But, she was fated to have her boy back, I guess, said the driver. There was a broadcaster, Ted Failon, who heard the commotion. He was there because he was doing some charity thing. When he found out about it, he immediately gave the mother P40,000 for the DNA test. Eventually, the test came positive. That was a happier ending than going abroad in my opinion, manong driver said.
He was quick to add that of course going with a new parent is also a happy ending for many. Some of them boys and girls now have nice lives. Then lastly I asked, manong paano po yung 2 year time frame bago legally they change the identity... may website ba na pwedeng tignan or binobroadcast ba nila na may nakita o dinala sa kanilang mga bata (is there a website to browse or do they announce on radio/tv that they have found or someone brought children to their office)?
In truth he said, he doesn’t know. I guess, he said, they just wait. Maybe there is a website and we just don't know.
Anyways, I attended a birthday party in a foundling home in boy’s town Marikina about a month ago. You will be surprised how many kids are there. Daming tanong sa isip ko (my mind was bothered by too many questions). The foundling in Jessica Soho’s story came back to the country. But, this time around it was the son who was looking for his mother. Soho’s team helped in the search. Like the mother and the son, we have to wait a couple of weeks for the result of the DNA test. I really hope it is a match. (by Ramona Nieva)
UPDATE:
It was a MATCH :) Happy tears for them! look for it on facebook using these:
#KMJS12: Jojo de Carteret's Homecoming
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