Section 56Sec./Art. 56

Transitory Clause. All judicial petitions for domestic adoption pending in court upon the effectivity of this Act may be immediately withdrawn, and parties of the same shall be given the option to avail of the benefits of this Act. Upon effectivity of this Act and during the pendency of the establishment of the NACC, the functions relating to foster care, issuance of CDCLAA, and adoption under Republic Act No. 11222 shall remain with the DSWD, specifically, its Program Management Bureau (PMB).

In relation to domestic administrative adoption and inter-country adoption process, a transition team composed of the DWSD and the ICAB shall act as the NACC. The ICAB Executive Director shall sit as Chairperson of the transitory team, assisted by the DSWD-PMB Director as the Vice-Chairperson. Personnel of the DWSD involved in adoption services may be seconded to the transition team during the three (3)-year period. During this period, social workers already working with adoption cases may continue to perform all duties assigned to adoption social workers in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

The functions of the RACCO shall, during the three (3) year period, be performed by the DWSD field offices (FOs), specifically the Adoption Resource and Referral Units (ARRU) therein. The transition team shall provide technical assistance and policy guidance to personnel of the FOs in handling cases. A transitory team shall be created from the DSWD and the ICAB to ensure non-disruption of performance of functions and continued smooth delivery of services during the migration of all alternative child care functions and services to the NACC.

During the transition period, all Orders of Adoption issued and signed by the ICAB Executive Director as chairperson of the transition team, upon the recommendation of its members, shall be approved by the Secretary of the DSWD, or his representative in the ICAB Board, within a period of then (10) days from the issuance of said order: Provided, That if no action was taken by either the Secretary or his representative in the ICAB Board during the prescribed period, the Order of Adoption shall be deemed approved.

Upon the establishment of the NACC not later than three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act, all applications, submissions, and petitions involving child care, including the pre-adoption and post-adoption services, pending before the PMB and the ICAB shall be immediately forwarded to the NACC, which shall perform its functions and powers under this Act. Thereafter, the appropriate personnel of the ICAB and the DSWD involved in alternative child care services shall be permanently transferred to the NACC. This relevant offices in the regional offices of the DSWD involved in alternative child care shall, hereafter, be converted into RACCOs.

Upon effectivity of this Act and before the establishment of the NACC, administrative adoption may be immediately availed of and the necessary guidelines to make the benefits of this Act immediately operative shall be included in the IRR.