Manila Edition

We are here matching babies to parents and will be at ICAB Tuesday for the presentation of our picks. We just returned from an ABSNET Consultation with the DSWD. The Area Based Standards Network is helping Welfare agencies to get registered and licensed with the government. It is illegal to take children into your home and give them permanent care without proper monitoring. That's how many of the children end up getting abused. Narcy shared with a cabinet member of the president, the Under Secretary of the DSWD, as well as other presidents and directors of caring agencies and NGOs.

Anyone willing to help children have lots of options. But you have to file your intentions. Narcy's the President of ABSNET Palawan. They give you the starter pack and all the steps up front. You are required to at least be a licensed foster parent to take in children. That's how Narcy and I started out. Then we developed a local board of directors and incorporated Aloha House Inc. as a non-profit, non-stock, charitable mission with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Next we pursued licensing by developing an manual of operation, hired a social worker to monitor the paper work and develop care plans for the children. We were ready to license in one year and then pursued accreditation. That is a higher standard with more scrutiny of your paper work, case management and caring facility.

Archie was there and took copious notes in techni-color. He was able to sit through some of the boring stuff and do his work from the travelbox his grandpa made him in Seattle. It's full of little cars and papers and colors as well as a few bugs! We also toured the area and shot lots of video, so we had fun. It was good to see the government delegating some the responsibility of accountability to the private sector. We are more in tune and available to help the new organizations and spot the fakes trying to exploit the tribes, children, and elderly. People that want to help are always grateful for ABSNET guidance and coaching. And this consultation was just the first after two years of implementation of Administrative orders. Others will follow. It was worth the side trip to Lucene and I'm really proud of Narcy and the ABSNET leaders from around the countries.