The solution? Adoption. It is the process of uniting a kid with a more suitable parent through collaboration with a trusted agency. On paper, adoption stands as the most ideal solution in helping reduce the number of orphans in a country. However, for the children in the Philippines, this is almost impossible. It used to be that the country’s adoption system was so rigid and convoluted that most hopeful parents-to-be have no choice but to give up and leave these children abandoned once again. However, steps have been taken to alleviate that. Many recent laws such as the Republic Act No. 11642 or the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Care Act that was passed in January 2022 have seeked to make the adoption process simpler, faster, and cheaper making it “redound to the best interest of the child.” (Parrocha, 2022)

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But the problem now is that it’s not just the system. Being placed in a Filipino family usually takes a lot of effort. Filipinos are more particular towards the children they want to adopt, and many are unwilling to adopt older children. In fact, the preference for younger children is so severe that Jaymie Rose Bongco, a social worker in Nayon ng Kabataan in Mandaluyong City, mentioned in a 2019 Inquire interview that she had only seen one successful domestic adoption in her entire four-year career. The underlying implication means that the rest of the children don’t get adopted. Furthermore, studies show that teens that don’t get adopted are at increased risk for homelessness, young parenthood, low educational attainment, high unemployment rates, and other adverse adult outcomes, creating a never ending cycle of poverty. (Rosenberg, 2019)

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So, while it is understandable that adopting a teen may seem daunting, as many would rather experience caring for an infant that has little to no recollection of their biological parents or their past, instead of teenagers who are more inclined to have their independent thoughts and opinions. Every child still deserves a home. Which is why we urge you all to give older children a chance. You may not be there when they lose their first tooth or take the training wheels off their bike for the first time, but you can be there for their first date, first car drive, first job interview- the list goes on. Moreover, adopting a teen has the added reward of knowing that not only did you choose them to be their child, they also chose you to be their parents. (AdoptUSKids, n.d.)

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After all, are the youth of today not the future of our tomorrow? The time for change is now. These small hands deserve another pair that will guide them, love them, and nurture them, break their tough walls down and allow themselves to relearn what beauty the world has to offer, and forget the ugly and the unpleasant, for they never chose the only life they’ve come to know.