IN an attempt to address what he described as the moral degeneration of society as a result of the tragedies caused by abortion, child abuse, neglect and other forms of antilife and antichild acts, a legislator has filed a bill allowing the parents of unwanted babies to give up their children to the government without fear of arrest and prosecution.

House Bill 3227, also known as The Safe Haven Act of 2007, or The Moses Law, filed by Lakas Rep. Eduardo Zialcita of Parañaque permits parents to entrust the custody and care of their babies sixty (60) days or younger, unharmed, to a staff member of any hospital, medical emergency facility, police or fire station or to an office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The baby shall receive prompt action.

Under the measure, parents may, but shall not be required, to give their names to the staff member or responsible employee receiving the child. 

“However, the measure does not prevent the DSWD or any person allowed by law or custom to request a law-enforcement agency to prosecute any violation of the Revised Penal Code or other laws,” Zialcita said.

“There is an increase in abortion, child abandonment and other kinds of antilife consequences because of our eroding respect for the sanctity of marriage, and complications in family life and human sexuality brought by the globalization of our culture,” said Zialcita. 

He filed the bill in order to save the lives, health and future of innocent babies and children. 

A parent who surrenders his or her child under this measure will have six months to change his or her mind and reclaim custody of the child by providing proof of parentage. 

The same shall be applicable to the other parent claiming the child where in both cases an investigation shall be made to determine whether the claimant is a lawful parent and to confirm if he or she has the capacity to adequately care for the child, before custody of the child can be turned over.

Zialcita said a national registry of infants shall be established “to guard against any possibility on the abuse of the provisions of this measure, and at the same time improve the government’s response to cases of missing children.”

This registry will make use of the missing-children web site of the National Bureau of Investigation posting online timely information about each infant received.

“And as part of this effort, a public information campaign is also provided to boost awareness and cooperation with this law that will certainly save and improve the lives of many Filipino children,” Zialcita said.

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IN an attempt to address what he described as the moral degeneration of society as a result of the tragedies caused by abortion, child abuse, neglect and other forms of antilife and antichild acts, a legislator has filed a bill allowing the parents of unwanted babies to give up their children to the government without fear of arrest and prosecution.

PSYCHIATRISTS are concerned that the feminization of labor migration that has prompted fathers to take the role of mothers is causing a negative effect on children’s behavior.