Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2590
Introduced by HON. JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Bible, in Psalm 82:3, reminds us of the importance of love, care, and compassion towards 
children and urges individuals to step forward and defend those who cannot defend 
themselves: “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the 
oppressed.”   
The family is the bedrock of society, however, for abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily 
committed children, the State must fulfill its obligation as parens patriae in providing adequate 
care, support, and protection for them. As enshrined in Article II, Section 12 of the 1987 
Constitution, “The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for 
civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the support of the 
Government”. Thus, in the absence of parents and guardians, "the State is considered 
the parens patriae of minors” as enunciated in the 1978 case of Vasco v. Court of Appeals. 
Concretely, Article XV, Section 3 (2) of the 1987 Constitution provides that it is the duty of the 
State to defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and 
special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions 
prejudicial to their development. 
Despite the protective framework of existing laws, many children—those orphaned, 
abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed—are left without the care and protection they 
deserve. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) data shows that there 
were 1,999 abandoned and 3,344 neglected Filipino children from 2016 to 2021.1 Meanwhile, 
the non-government organization Philippines Without Orphans estimates that there are 
around 5 to 7 million abandoned, neglected, or orphaned children in the country. According to 
latest data from the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), as of 15 June 2025, there are 
1,199 children legally available for adoption.2 But according to Rohei Foundation, a -non-profit 
group that advocates for adoption, only about 237 Filipino children are adopted each year.3,4
Alarmingly, several fetuses were recovered and found in dumpsites in recent years due to 
unplanned pregnancies, mostly of poor mothers.5 
1 International Social Service / International Reference Centre for the Rights of Children Deprived of their Families (ISS/IRC). (2024, 
December). Country situation: The Philippines (Revised by local contacts).Retrieved from: https://extranet.iss-ssi.org/wp-
content/uploads/2024/12/PHL_SITU_ENG.pdf 
2 Official Letter of the NACC addressed to Sen. Alan Cayetano dated 18 June 2025.
3 Beltran, B. (2023, February 6). Left in limbo: Breaking the stigma surrounding adoption in the Philippines. Philstar.com. Retrieved from:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/06/2242952/left-limbo-breaking-stigma-surrounding-adoption-philippines 
4 ROHEI Foundation. (n.d.). Addressing the orphan crisis [Interview or feature]. CNN Philippines. Retrieved from:
https://roheifoundation.org/addressing-the-orphan-crisis-rohei-foundation-on-cnn-philippines/ 
5 Compio, J. P., & Fuerzas, E. E. (2025, March 22). 2 newborns abandoned, rescued. SunStar Davao. Retrieved from:
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/2-newborns-abandoned-rescued 
July 30, 2025
9:06 am


While there are mechanisms to uphold children's rights, much more must be done to address 
the specific needs of those who lack parental care. These children deserve what every child 
does: a safe, nurturing, and stable environment, the chance to live with dignity, and the 
opportunity to dream and contribute to nation-building for the future of our country. 
This bill seeks to institutionalize the National Child Support and Care (NCSC) Program, led by 
the DSWD with support from key agencies. It ensures shelter, education, health care, 
psychosocial support, family tracing, and transition aid for children in need, reinforcing the 
State’s duty to uphold every child’s right to care and protection. Crucially, the proposed 
measure proposes the creation of a trust fund for every orphaned, abandoned, neglected, or 
voluntarily committed minor under the care of DSWD-accredited child-caring institutions and 
care centers funded by regular State contributions, this account will be accessible once the 
child reaches the age of majority, serving as seed capital for education, livelihood, or personal 
growth. 
Our vision for inclusive, equitable nation-building must include every child—especially those 
without families to rely on. Just as the government sustains programs like 4Ps, it must also 
invest in the future of these children. 
In the best interests of abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed children, the immediate 
passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2590 
Introduced by HON. JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AND CARE 
FOR THE ABANDONED, NEGLECTED, AND VOLUNTARILY COMMITTED 
CHILDREN, CREATING A SPECIAL TRUST FUND, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as “Trust Fund for the Abandoned, 
Neglected, or Voluntarily Committed Child.”  
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. –  It is a declared policy of the State to recognize the vital role 
of the youth in nation-building and promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual, and social well-being. The State shall defend the right of children to assistance, 
including proper care and special protection from all forms of neglect and other conditions 
prejudicial to their development. 
Towards this end, the State shall provide support and care for children who have been 
abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed in accordance with the duty of the State under 
the doctrine of parens patriae or guardian of the rights of the people. The State shall thereby 
establish a trust fund for such children to be withdrawn only upon their reaching the age of 
majority. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – For the purposes of this Act, the following terms are defined: 
a.
Abandoned Child refers to a child who has no proper parental care or
guardianship, a foundling, or one who has been deserted by one's parents for
a period of at least three (3) continuous months, and has been declared as
such by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), as defined under
Republic Act (R.A.) 11642 otherwise known as the “Domestic Administrative
Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act;”
b.
Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age;
c.
Child-Caring Institution refers to any twenty-four-hour resident group care
service for the physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being of nine or more
abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed children that is coordinated
with the DSWD, as defined under Presidential Decree No. 603 otherwise
known as the “Child and Youth Welfare Code;”
d.
Guardian refers to a person lawfully invested with the power and charged with
the duty of taking care of the abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed
child;


e. 
Neglected Child refers to a child whose physical and emotional needs have 
been deliberately unattended or inadequately attended within a period of three 
(3) continuous months. A child is unattended when left without the proper 
provisions or proper supervision, as defined under R.A. 11642; 
f. 
Trust Entity refers to a government financial institution with a proven track 
record in the banking industry which accepts deposits and offers trust services; 
g. 
Trust Fund for the Abandoned, Neglected, or Voluntarily Committed Child 
refers to a special fund set aside for the children under the care of the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or any DSWD- 
accredited child-caring institution. The said fund shall operate as a special trust 
fund managed by a reputable trust entity; 
h. 
Voluntarily Committed Child is one whose parent or legal guardian knowingly 
and willingly relinquished parental authority to the NACC, the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), or any duly accredited child-placing 
or child-caring agency or institution, as defined under R.A. 11642. 
 
SEC. 4. Coverage. – This Act shall cover all abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed 
children, under the care of the NACC, the DSWD or DSWD-accredited child-caring institutions 
that may be recognized by the DSWD in accordance with the implementing rules and 
regulations of this Act. 
 
SEC. 5. National Child Support and Care Program. – There is hereby established a National 
Program to Support and Care for Abandoned, Neglected, and Voluntarily Committed Children 
(NCSC) Program, to be primarily administered by the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD), in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of 
Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Council for the 
Welfare of Children (CWC) and other relevant agencies.  
 
The Program shall include the following components: 
a. 
Provision of shelter, nutrition, health care, psychosocial services, and 
education; 
b. 
Family tracing and reintegration programs; 
c. 
Alternative family care arrangements, such as foster care or adoption; 
d. 
Capacity building for care workers and social welfare officers; and 
e. 
Support for transitioning youth who age out of care facilities. 
f. 
Employment assistance programs to of-age abandoned, neglected, and 
voluntarily committed children for their reintegration, and after-care programs 
for monitoring of their conditions outside the program. 
 
SEC. 6. Trust Fund for Abandoned, Neglected, or Voluntarily Committed Children. – 
There is hereby created a Special Trust Fund for the NCSC Program, to be sourced from the 
following: 
a. 
Annual appropriations under the General Appropriations Act (GAA); 
b. 
Donations, legacies, grants, and endowments from domestic or foreign 
sources; 
c. 
Contributions from private sector partnerships; and 
d. 
Unclaimed child support funds and other child-related government recoveries. 
 
This Fund shall be administered by the DSWD, with separate accounting and auditing 
protocols in accordance with government accounting and auditing standards.  
 
A trust fund account, with an initial fund in the amount of PHP 15,000.00, in a duly accredited 
trust entity shall be opened in the name of every covered abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily 
committed child in the custody of a child-caring institution, based on a verified list submitted 
by such child-caring institution, provided that such trust fund account shall be opened only for 


children who have been in the custody of the institution for at least three (3) months from the 
time such children was subjected to the custody of the institution. These accounts shall be 
established under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DSWD and the trust 
entity with the exclusive purpose of securing the fund in trust for the child. 
 
In addition to the initial fund, the DSWD shall deposit the sum of Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php 
15,000.00) quarterly into every individual trust fund account, sourced from the Special Trust 
Fund. Deposits shall continue until the account matures, unless terminated earlier due to the 
death or ineligibility of the recipient as determined by the DSWD.  
 
To maintain the real purchasing value of the quarterly deposit through the years, the DSWD, 
in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), shall adjust 
the amount every three (3) years in proportion to the average inflation rate for the said period, 
as certified by the NEDA.  
 
In addition, the DSWD shall conduct a comprehensive review of the adequacy of the base 
quarterly amount every five (5) years, taking into account the cost of living, education, health 
care, and reintegration support. The findings and recommendations shall be submitted to 
Congress in a report, including performance data, challenges, and suggestions for improving 
program delivery.  
 
Each covered abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed child shall be entitled to the 
said quarterly deposit for the entire duration of their stay in a DSWD-accredited child-caring 
institution until they reach the age of eighteen (18).  
 
Should a child be legally adopted before the age of eighteen (18), he or she shall remain 
entitled to receive the lump sum amount of the trust fund, corresponding to the duration of 
institutional care prior to adoption.  
 
In the event that a covered child has died or becomes ineligible, the balance of the trust fund 
shall be forfeited in favor of the State, and returned to the Trust Fund to support other eligible 
beneficiaries. 
 
SEC. 7. Child Find System for the Abandoned, Neglected, or Voluntarily Committed 
Children. – The DSWD, in coordination with other government agencies tasked with caring 
for the welfare and development of children and the youth, shall come up with a 
comprehensive child find and monitoring system to identify and locate abandoned, neglected 
and voluntarily-committed children for the purpose of including them in the general database 
to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.  
 
This system shall include, but not limited to, coming up with an updated data on the number, 
location, and personal profile of abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily committed children; 
profiling of child-caring institutions nationwide; and establishing a transparent mechanism that 
would provide a grant of a reasonable lump sum grant to abandoned, neglected, or voluntarily 
committed children who already turned 18 years old and are ready to lead a life on their own. 
 
SEC. 8. Appropriations. – The DSWD shall incorporate the budgetary requirements of this 
Act in its annual budget proposal. 
 
SEC. 9. Disqualification from the Grant. – The DSWD shall issue the guidelines 
enumerating the grounds and procedure for disqualification from the grant under this Act. 
 
SEC. 10. Release of the Grant. – The grant envisioned for every abandoned, neglected, or 
voluntarily committed child under this Act shall be released in tranches starting from the date 
the intended recipient turns eighteen (18) years old. 


 
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from approval of 
this Act, the DSWD, in consultation with the DOH, DepEd, CWC, and DILG and other relevant 
stakeholders, shall formulate and promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its 
effective implementation. 
 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, administrative 
orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of 
this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.  
 
Approved,