Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Sunday said the agency is prioritizing the deinstitutionalization of abandoned, neglected, and orphaned children from child-caring facilities so they can find their “forever loving homes.”

"The goal is to deinstitutionalize children from our facilities. How? Mayroon ang NACC (National Authority for Child Care), isinusulong ang foster care, so we are accrediting foster parents para pansamantalang arugain yung mga bata. And two, through adoption," Gatchalian said.

He added that the DSWD is working with its attached agency, the NACC, to strengthen and improve the government’s alternative child care programs and encourage more Filipinos to foster children, helping them experience a caring and protective family environment.

"Hindi dapat natin madaliin pero dapat pagtibayin natin yung programa ng foster care... We want to be the leader in that," Gatchalian said.

Placing the best interest of the child at the center of the agency’s work remains the DSWD’s top priority, according to the DSWD chief.