The National Authority for Child Care (NACC) has issued a stern warning that individuals involved in the sale or illegal adoption of children will face full accountability under the law.

The announcement follows the arrest of a 17-year-old mother in Quezon City for attempting to sell her one-month-old child.

According to NACC Executive Director Undersecretary Janella Estrada, “A child is not an item to be traded or sold. Every child has the right to live safely and be loved.”

Estrada emphasized that it is the responsibility of adults to protect and respect children, adding that selling a child should never be considered a solution to poverty.

The NACC encourages the public to immediately report any information or suspicions regarding online baby selling or illegal adoption to the police or the agency.

Under Republic Act 11642, also known as the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act, the adoption process has been streamlined, reducing the period from seven years to just six to nine months, ensuring safe and legal placement for children in need.