Republic of the Philippines

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

Ninth Judicial Region
Branch 15
Zamboanga City

IN RE: IN THE MATTER OF ADOPTION

OF MINOR MARLOU ROJAS AND
CHANGE OF NAME TO CLIFFORD
SANTIAGO

SPECIAL
PROCEEDING
NO. 8977

SPS.
ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO
and ESTER A. SANTIAGO,
Petitioners.
x--------------------------------------------------------------x

PETITION
COMES, NOW, THE PETITIONERS, thru their counsel, and
unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully allege the following,
to wit:
1. That petitioners are both of legal age, Filipinos,
married to each other, and residents of #54 Lacandalo Drive,
Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City;
2. That they desire to adopt the minor child named
MARLOU ROJAS, who is male, three years of age, Filipino, and
likewise residing at #54 Lacandalo Drive, Sta. Maria,
Zamboanga City;

3. That herein subject minor, was born at Zamboanga

City Medical Center on December 5, 2012 to MARILOU
ROJAS, unmarried, which proof of birth was duly registered in
the Register of Births of the Office of the Civil Registrar of
Zamboanga City, for which a Certificate of Live Birth was
issued. A machine copy of it is herewith attached as Annex
A;
4. That the minor child was admitted to the proper care
and custody of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD for brevity) by his biological mother
together with referring social worker, SARAH LIM of DWSDCrisis Intervention Unit located in Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga
City on December 8, 2012. Subject child was referred to their
office by the Medical Social Worker of Zamboanga City
Medical Center (ZCMC for brevity) after being initially
assessed that the mother cannot support the child with all
his needs due to economic and health reasons;
5. That MARLOU was only 2 days old when he was
brought for admission at the center. He was born through
normal delivery and assisted by DR. PIA CENTENO, Medical
Officer III of Zamboanga City Medical Center;
6. That during the interview of the childs mother, it was
found that the subject childs mother worked as a Guest
Relation Officer (GRO) in Fantacy KTV bar along MCLL
Highway, Guiwan, this city, and his father could not be
identified. No further details regarding his family background
was established due to the mothers inconsistent answers to
the questions. Moreover, the referring social worker, MS.
SARAH LIM worked out to submit childs mother for
assessment by psychiatrist but the mother refused as she
insisted to be mentally stable and healthy. Per collateral
review on the given address, it was found that the mother
has several men whom she does not want to identify. She
has no relative living in the city.

7. That during the childs admission in the center, the

mother, was informed of the placement status of the child
and the centers programs and services. She was also
advised to come and visit her son to determine her readiness
to assume the role of parenting. Unfortunately, the mother
failed to fulfill such agreement. In fact, it was her first and
last visit to her child has been deprived of the love, care and
attention from his biological mother since he was two (2)
days old up to the present;
8. That as per Child Study report, the DSWD has
evaluated and recommended that the minor child can be
legally adopted to spouses ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO and
ESTER A. SANTIAGO for the childs best interest and welfare.
A copy of said DSWD Child Study Report is herein attached
as Annex B;
9. THAT, MOREOVER, Petitioner is qualified to adopt the
minor child above-named under Articles 183-186 of the
Family Code of the Philippines, as amended by the provisions
of Republic Act No. 9552, the Domestic Adoption of 1998;
10. That, in addition, the adoptive applicants have been
married since June 16, 2007 but they remain childless. The
spouses decided to foster a child to whom they can give
their love, care and affection. On January 10, 2014, Marlou
Rojas from the Child Reception and Study Center for Children
at Talon-Talon, this city, was placed under their custody as
foster child. Attached herewith is a copy of the spouses
Marriage Contract as Annex C;
11. That the DSWD in fact made a Child Study Report
on the case of the subject minor child and in that study
report i.e. social diagnosis the minor deprived of parental
love and care. They maintained that it was the present
custodian, who unselfishly provided them love and the best
opportunities to make the child fully accepted and loved by
the family resulting to a positive parent-child relationship;
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12. That, on September 30, 2015, the subject minor

was formally matched to Spouses ABRAHAM and ESTER
SANTIAGO. Last October 15, 2015, the corresponding
AFFIDAVIT OF CONSENT TO ADOPTION by DSWD was issued
and herein attached and form part of the petition as Annex
D;
13. That herein petitioners has the capability and ability
to extend to said minor the kind of financial support that a
parent can give to his child. ABRAHAM SANTIAGO is an
Accounts Officer in the Land Bank of the Philippines while the
wife ESTER is a pre-school teacher at Ateneo de Zamboanga
University Grade School. Attached hereto are the
employment identification cards of petitioners as Annex E
and E-1;
9. That it is for the best interest of said minor if they
would be considered as child of herein petitioners because
his financial, spiritual, and emotional needs would be taken
care of and his future would be safeguarded. In fact, the
couple owns a house located a safe neighborhood in Sta.
Maria. They also hired a nanny to take care of the subject
minor while they are at work. Moreover, the mother of
Abraham lives with the spouses who loves the child as much
as the spouses. With that, the DSWD, in its Home Study
Report, has strongly evaluated and recommended that the
Honorable Court approve the adoption of minor Marlou
Rojas to Spouse Abraham Santiago and Ester A. Santiago. A
copy of the Home Study Report is herein attached as Annex
F;
10. That the spouses are of good character, has no
derogatory record whatsoever can be attributed to them, are
emotionally and psychologically capable of caring for the
child, are more than sixteen (16) years older that the subject
minor sought to be adopted, are in position to support and
care said child in keeping with the means of the family.

Attached herewith are copies of their Police clearances as

statements as Annexes G and G-1;
11. That, at present, the subject minor is now three (3)
years old and has been with the petitioners for two (2) years
now. He has adjusted well in the atmosphere and
environment of his foster family. He is observed to be an
active, healthy, sociable and affectionate child. Generally
speaking, his total growth and development is within the
normal level which could be attributed to the positive,
alternative, and stimulating activities given by the foster
family.
12. That the minor sought to be adopted does not own
any real, personal, tangible and intangible property; and
13. That this adoption is for the best interest and
security of the said minor if he would be considered as true
and legal child of herein petitioners and it will make his life
normal, productive, and good persons in the community;

PRAYER
WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed
of this Honorable Court to grant this petition of Spouses Abraham
and Ester Santiago for the adoption of Marlou Rojas and for the
change of the childs name to Clifford A. Santiago.
Such other reliefs which the Honorable Court may deem just
and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.
City of Zamboanga, Philippines, January 7, 2016.

FATIMA SARPINA P. HINAY

Counsel
for
the
Petitioners
MP Tower, Buenavista St.
Zamboanga City
ROLL NO. 87221 5-16-10
IBP NO. 896989 1-04-16
PTR No. 0927798 1-0416

(Republic of the Philippines)

(City of Zamboanga
) S.S.
X- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - )

VERIFICATION AND CERITIFICATION

We, Spouses ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO and ESTER A.
SANTIAGO, both of legal age, Filipino citizens, and residents of
#54 Lacandalo Drive, Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, under oath,
depose and state:
1. That we are the Petitioners in the above-mentioned case;
2. That we have caused the preparation of this Petition;
3. That we have read and understood its contents and affirm
that they are true and correct to our personal knowledge
and based on authentic records; and,
4. That we hereby certify that there is no other case or
special proceeding commenced or pending before any
court involving the same parties and the same issue and
that should we learn of such a case or special proceeding,
6

we shall notify the court within five (5) days from our
notice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have signed this instrument on
the 7th day of January 2016, in the City of Zamboanga, Philippines.
ABRAHAM D. SANTIAGO
SANTIAGO
Affiant

ESTER

A.

Affiant

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 7th day of

January 2016, in the City of Zamboanga, Philippines.
Doc. No. ___
FATIMA SARPINA P. HINAY
Page No. ___
Notary Public
Book N0. ___
MP Tower, Buenavista St.
Series of 2016
Zamboanga City
ROLL NO. 87221 5-16-10
IBP NO. 896989 1-04-16